Local Plan Review Evidence, Information and Monitoring

The evidence base and monitoring supporting the Local Plan Review

Local Plans must be supported by a robust evidence base. A number of studies and assessments have been undertaken, and information has been collected to inform, support and monitor the West Berkshire Local Plan Review to 2037 (LPR). 

Below, we have set out the latest up-to-date evidence and supporting material that underpin the LPR, each listed under the relevant category (however, the list is not exhaustive and will continue to evolve as new studies are published):

• Employment
• Flooding
• Historic environment
• Housing
• Infrastructure
• Landscape
• Natural environment
• Retail and town centres
• Settlement hierarchy
• Site selection
• Sport and recreation
• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA)
• Transport
• Other

Employment

Employment Land Review

An assessment of future demand for employment floor space, as well as existing and committed future supply. The study also identifies floorspace/land requirements to address unmet need.

•  Employment Land Review [5Mb]
   

Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA) and Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA)

Information on Berkshire's economy and the identification of how much land is required for employment growth.

•  Berkshire Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA) Study [9Mb]
•  Western Berkshire Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA) [2Mb]
   

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Flooding

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

Determines the variation in flood risk across the district. The Level 1 assessment looks at the district as a whole; the Level 2 assessment looks at specific sites or areas.

• SFRA
   

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Historic environment

Information on the managing the historic environment.

• Historic Environment - Planning Advice
• Managing the Historic Environment
• The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER)
• Historic Environment - Projects and Research
   

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Housing

Affordable Housing Viability Assessment

Tests the potential viability of requiring market-lead residential development to provide affordable housing, whilst taking into account the local housing market, current delivery and the cumulative impact of the Local Plan policies.

•  Affordable Housing Viability Report [2Mb]
•  Appendix 1: Assumptions Summary [946kb]
•  Appendix IIa: Residential Results Summary [1Mb]
•  Appendix IIb: Residential Results Summary - Additional Testing: Zero Carbon [1Mb]
•  Appendix IIc: Sensitivity Test Matrix [865kb]
•  Appendix III: Market Values and Assumptions [2Mb]
   

Five Year Housing Land Supply

We are required to identify enough deliverable sites to meet our housing requirement for the next five years. The next update will be published in early 2021.

• Five Year Housing Land Supply
   

Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Assessment (GTAA)

Provides the overall pitch/plot requirements for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople across the district.

•  GTAA 2019 [1Mb]
•  GTAA Update 2021 [706kb]
   

Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)

Assessment of housing needs into the local and wider housing market area.

• SHMA
   

Updated Housing Needs Evidence

An assessment of affordable housing need and older persons' accommodation within West Berkshire.

•  Updated Housing Needs Evidence [625kb]
   

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Infrastructure

Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP)

Sets out details of the infrastructure needed to support delivery of the LPR.

• IDP
   

Water Cycle Study Phase 1 - Scoping Study

Assesses the relationship between development and the water environment around West Berkshire. The Phase 1 Scoping Study assesses the potential issues relating to future development across West Berkshire and the impacts on water supply, wastewater collection and treatment and water quality.

•  Water Cycle Study Phase 1 - Scoping [3Mb]
•  Appendix A: Site Tracker [481kb]
   

Water Cycle Study Phase 2 - Outline Study

Assesses the relationship between development and the water environment around West Berkshire. The Phase 2 Study builds on the Phase 1 Scoping Study by updating assessments to take account of revised growth assessments. It also includes water quality modelling and an environmental impact assessment to address the gaps in evidence identified in the Phase 1.

•  Water Cycle Study Phase 2 - Outline [4Mb]
•  Appendix A: Site Tracker [295kb]
   

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Landscape

Landscape Character Assessments

Landscape character and its sensitivity to future development.

• Landscape Character Assessments
   

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Natural environment

Nature Conservation

Information on ecology, biodiversity and nature conservation.

• Nature Conservation
   

South East England Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOA) 2009

Identifies the BOAs outlined within the Core Strategy (Policy CS17) and draft emerging LPR (Policy SP11).

•  South East England Biodiversity Opportunity Areas 2009 [988kb]
   

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Retail and town centres

Western Berkshire Retail and Commercial Assessment 2016

Sets out the need for retail and commercial leisure uses in the study area.

•  Western Berkshire Retail and Commercial Leisure Assessment 2016 (Volume 1 - Main Report) [2Mb]
•  Western Berkshire Retail and Commercial Leisure Assessment 2016 (Volume 2 - Plans and Appendices) [11Mb]
•  Western Berkshire Retail and Commercial Leisure Assessment 2016 (Volume 3 - Household Survey Results) [1Mb]
•  Western Berkshire Retail and Commercial Leisure Assessment 2016 (Volume 4 - Bracknell In-Centre Survey Results) [242kb]
   

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Settlement hierarchy

Review of the West Berkshire Settlement Hierarchy

Re-assessment of the existing settlement hierarchy. The settlement hierarchy guides the broad location of new and sustainable development. 

•  Settlement Hierarchy Review Topic Paper [439kb]
•  Appendix 1: Audit Criteria for Services and Facilities [597kb]
•  Appendix 2: Settlement Audit [10Mb]
•  Appendix 3: Audit Matrix and Settlement Scores [496kb]
•  Appendix 4: Review of Settlement Hierarchy Tiers [441kb]
•  Appendix 5: Qualitative Assessment [439kb]
   

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Site selection

Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)

Identifying potential land for housing and economic development in West Berkshire. First published in February 2020, the HELAA was updated in December 2020 to take account of factual inaccuracies and include the assessment of newly promoted sites.

• HELAA
   

Site Selection Background Paper for the Emerging Draft LPR

Sets outs the process that was used to identify new allocations in the LPR.

•  Site Selection Background Paper for the Emerging Draft Local Plan Review to 2037 [635kb]
•  Appendix 1: Sites ruled out in Stage 1 (assessed as 'not developable within the next 15 years' in the HELAA) [23kb]
•  Appendix 2: Sites ruled out in Stage 3 (Outside settlement hierarchy) [9kb]
•  Appendix 3: Sites ruled out in Stage 4 (non-strategic sites within the settlement boundary) [8kb]
•  Appendix 4a: Newbury Site Assessments [559kb]
•  Appendix 4b: Thatcham Site Assessments [396kb]
•  Appendix 4c: Theale Site Assessments [186kb]
•  Appendix 4d: Burghfield Common Site Assessments [246kb]
•  Appendix 4e: Woolhampton Site Assessments [239kb]
•  Appendix 4f: Bradfield Southend Site Assessments [465kb]
•  Appendix 4g: Chieveley Site Assessments [272kb]
•  Appendix 4h: Great Shefford Site Assessments [250kb]
•  Appendix 4i: Kintbury Site Assessments [422kb]
   

Thatcham Strategic Growth Study

A three-stage process that assesses planning for the future of the settlement.

•  Stage 1: Thatcham Past [2Mb]
•  Stage 2: Thatcham Present [1Mb]
•  Stage 3: Thatcham Future [12Mb]
•  Stage 3: Thatcham Future Appendices [20Mb]
   

West Berkshire Density Pattern Book Study

Guidance tool used for assessing the capacity of sites promoted for the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment.

•  West Berkshire Density Pattern Book Study [2Mb]
   

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Sport and recreation

Playing Pitch Strategy

An up-to-date analysis of supply and demand for playing pitches.

•  West Berkshire Playing Pitch Strategy [3Mb]
   

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Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA)

Interim SA/SEA

Assessment of the economic, environmental and social effects of the emerging draft LPR.

•  Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report [686kb]
•  Appendix 1: Consultation Comments on Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (2018) [688kb]
•  Appendix 2: Baseline Information [4Mb]
•  Appendix 3: Relevant Plans and Programmes [575kb]
•  Appendix 4: Sustainability Appraisal of Draft Policies [4Mb]
•  Appendix 5: Sustainability Appraisal of Site Options [5Mb]
   

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Transport

Transport Assessments

Assess the impact of development upon the districts highway network.

• Transport Assessments
   

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Other

Authority Monitoring Reports (AMR)

Monitors progress of the Local Plan policies and documents.

• Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) and Planning Commitments

Grazeley Masterplanning

Information report on potential growth scenarios at Grazeley.

•  Grazeley Growth Scenarios Report (July 2018) [25Mb]
   

Thatcham Town Centre Design Appraisal (2009)

Gives guidance for the future of Thatcham Town Centre.

•  Thatcham Town Centre Design Appraisal [35Mb]
   

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