brentwood.gov.uk

Sport England made detailed representations in the 2015 consultation on this proposal. In summary, the allocation policy for the site will need to address the following matters:

* Provision will need to be made for retaining or replacing the Dunton Hills Golf Centre unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated that it is surplus to requirements through a golf course needs assessment. Without this, any site allocation would be contrary to current Government policy in paragraph 74 of the NPPF. Due to the size of the golf centre and the potential impact that its retention/replacement would have on the delivery of the development it is advocated that a needs assessment is undertaken as part of the masterplanning stage;
* The Council's emerging evidence base for sport (Playing Pitch Strategy and Built Facilities Strategy) should be used (together with the Basildon Borough Council's emerging evidence base) to inform the scale and nature of community sports facility provision that will need to be provided on-site or off-site to meet the additional needs generated by a development of this scale. The site allocation policy should require the development to make provision for community sports facilities in accordance with local plan policies and the evidence base.
* Sport England & Public Health England's Active Design guidance should be used for guiding the masterplanning of the development in order to create environments which promote active lifestyles in the new development and thereby help meet the local plan's wider strategic objective relating to promoting and enhancing health and well-being (SO11)

While the proposed masterplan would be expected to consider these matters, it is advocated that these issues are highlighted in the allocation policy in order to provide a framework for the subsequent masterplan.