Plans to replace Bracknell Town Football Club’s former ground with a housing development have been approved.

The club’s owner SB Sport and Education Group wants to build 24 houses and 64 flats at the former ground on Larges Lane.

The group already had permission for alternative plans to build 117 flats at Larges Lane, which were approved in 2022. But it applied to Bracknell Forest Council to get planning permission for a different scheme which it hopes neighbours will prefer.

A statement from ET planning consultants said the new plans were designed to reduce the amount and size of new buildings. It also said the mix of houses and flats meant there would be options for families to buy homes too.

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It said: “The resubmission is made following ongoing dialogue with members of the surrounding community to achieve a proposed form and design considered preferable to these residents.

“This has been achieved through a reduction in the number of residential units proposed as apartments within the scheme."

It added: “The revised scheme’s offering of residential dwellings as opposed to a purely apartment scheme therefore offers much-needed family houses in addition to the aforementioned apartments.”

The plans were approved by councillors on Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee on Thursday, April 18.

Some councillors questioned whether the new plans would provide enough parking spaces for the flats. In total, there will be 78 parking spaces for 64 flats – three of which will be allocated for a car club rental scheme.

Bracknell Forest Council says each car club space is equal to nine normal spaces, meaning there will be the equivalent of 105 spaces for the 64 flats.

Councillor Sheila Collings asked if the car club scheme was already in place. Council highways officers said it would be up to the developer to agree a contract with a private hire company to run the scheme.

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Councillor Patrick Smith asked what would happen if the car club scheme stopped running. He said: “If there weren’t car club spaces, do we still have enough spaces to achieve the parking standards?

“I’m wondering in terms of long term operation of the site, what security we have that those cr club spaces will be occupied and available as intended.”

Highways officers said the development would not meet Bracknell Forest Council’s parking standards without the car club.

But they said that the planning agreement between the council and the SB Group would make providing the car club a legal obligation meaning it should operate ‘in perpetuity.’

Councillors approved the plans unanimously.