The council has produced a Masterplans Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
Public consultation now closed
A public consultation on the draft SPD was held from Wednesday 25 March to Friday 24 April.
You can still view the March 2026 document.
What happens next
All responses to the consultation will be considered to inform the final version of the SPD.
Once the final version of the SPD is adopted, it will be a material consideration when determining planning applications.
For more information, email development.plan@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.
The draft SPD
This document provides guidance on what the council’s expectations are for the preparation and approval of masterplans in relation to residential and mixed-use developments. It primarily provides guidance about the implementation of the following Bracknell Forest Local Plan to 2037 (PDF, 118 MB) policies:
- LP28 (Design Principles)
- LP50 (Design)
Policy LP28 requires masterplans for larger, complex or more sensitive developments to be agreed on by the council before a planning application is submitted.
A masterplan is a way of explaining how a specific site or area may be developed in the future. This helps to make sure that a site is developed in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.
It outlines the vision, design, uses and layout based on an analysis of the site and its context. This includes local characteristics, topography, constraints and opportunities.
A masterplan is not a single plan or drawing. It is a framework document which builds up layers of information such as:
- a site appraisal
- access and movement
- land use
- built form
- green infrastructure considerations
This then culminates in an ‘illustrative masterplan’ drawing.
The document provides guidance for developers (those who submit planning applications) and will be used by officers in assessing masterplans.