Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Supplementary Planning Document

Following adoption of the Bracknell Forest Local Plan, the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Supplementary Planning Document (SPA SPD) has been updated to supplement the following Local Plan policies:

• LP31 – Designated nature conservation and geological sites
• LP32 – Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area

The SPA SPD was approved for adoption by the council on 29 April 2025 and came into effect for all planning applications validated from 8 May 2025. 

The SPA SPD (2025) is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications and supersedes the SPA SPD (2018) and section 5.12 and Appendix 1 section 5 of the Planning Obligations SPD. 

Purpose

The main purpose of the SPA SPD is to provide guidance to make sure that new development does not have adverse effects on the SPA. 

It provides an avoidance and mitigation strategy to show how the effects of new (principally) residential developments on the Thames Basin Heaths SPA should be avoided and mitigated.

About the SPA

The Thames Basin Heaths SPA is a network of heathland sites that provides a habitat for important ground-nesting bird species. It was designated as a Special Protection Area in March 2005 and is protected from adverse effects by law.

The SPA zone of influence affects 11 local authorities across Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey. Two areas of the SPA lie within Bracknell Forest. These are:

• the Broadmoor to Bagshot Heaths Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• the Sandhurst to Owlsmoor Bogs and Heaths (also known as Wildmoor Heath) SSSI

See the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership website for more information.

New developments in Bracknell Forest

The majority of development within Bracknell Forest lies within 5km of the SPA and a significant proportion lies within 400m. Both Policy NRM6 of the South East Plan, and Policy LP 32 of the Bracknell Forest Local Plan contain policies prohibiting additional housing within 400m of the SPA.

Developers wishing to promote additional housing in the 400m to 5km zone (and larger developments in the 5 to 7km zone) will be required to demonstrate that their proposals can avoid any likely significant adverse effect on the SPA. This can usually be done using the mitigation measures known as SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) and SAMM (Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Measures). Air quality mitigation may also be required.

The SPD can be downloaded below, along with relevant supporting information. 

Details on producing a s106 agreement to secure SPA avoidance and mitigation measures can be found on the Section 106 agreements page. 

Council-owned SANG capacity

Council-owned Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (strategic SANG) is limited and capacity is quickly being used up.

Strategic SANG capacity has been provisionally allocated to the planned development sites that do not require a bespoke SANG solution as set out in the Site Allocations Local Plan (SALP) and Bracknell Forest Local Plan Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA) and agreed with Natural England.

Where policy requires large allocated developments to provide their own SANGs (in line with policy and guidance) or for any unplanned development such as Prior Approval applications, any release of council-owned strategic SANG for such developments would put planned development on allocated sites at risk of not being able to meet Habitats Regulations and gain planning permission.

The council therefore reserves the right not to provide available SANG capacity if the proposal is considered to undermine the council’s SPA avoidance and mitigation strategy or the delivery of allocated development sites.

Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM)

The Thames Basin Heaths Joint Strategic Planning Board has agreed that the tariff applied to new dwellings built within the SPA buffer zone, and used to fund the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership, should increase annually, in line with inflation. The latest SAMM tariffs can be found below. 

Core documents

Other documents