brentwood.gov.uk

Objection is made to the wording of the second paragraph of the policy "Proposals for small scale buildings and facilities required for outdoor sport and recreation will need to demonstrate a justifiable need for such buildings and facilities". This wording implies that the principle of small scale facilities required for outdoor/sport recreation needs to be justified because such proposals are considered inappropriate development in the Green Belt. However, as set out in paragraph 89 of the NPPF, appropriate facilities for outdoor sport should be regarded as an exception to the general approach to the construction of new buildings in the Green Belt and are therefore not inappropriate development. Consequently, justification for the principle of such uses should not be required. As an assessment needs to be made by the Council of whether such facilities are 'appropriate' it would be acceptable for a policy to require such proposals to demonstrate a need for the scale of the proposed building but not the principle as implied by the policy wording. It is therefore requested that this part of the policy be deleted or amended to refer to a "justifiable need for the scale for such buildings and facilities"