Comment

Representation ID: 22232

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Phoebe Juggins

DfE notes that growth in housing stock is expected in the borough; the consultation document anticipates an overall housing target of 44,343 homes to the end of the plan period in 2038. This will place significant additional pressure on social infrastructure such as education facilities. The Local Plan will need tobe ‘positively prepared’ to meet the objectively assessed development needs and infrastructure requirements.

DfE welcomes reference within the plan to support the development of appropriate social and community infrastructure as established in Policy 1, Policy 4 and the supporting text at paragraphs 196-199, specifically with reference to the need for timely delivery.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) advises that local planning authorities (LPAs) should take a proactive, positive and collaborative approach to ensuring that a sufficient choice of school places is available to meet the needs of communities and that LPAs should give great weight to the need to create, expand or alter schools to widen choice in education (para 94).

DfE supports the principle of the Plan safeguarding land for the provision of new schools to meet government planning policy objectives as set out in paragraph 94 of the NPPF. When new schools are developed, local authorities should also seek to safeguard land for any future expansion of new schools where demand indicates this might be necessary, in accordance with Planning Practice Guidance and DfE guidance on securing developer contributions for education. We would be happy to share examples of best practice.

The GNLP should also have regard to the Joint Policy Statement from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Education on Planning for Schools Development (2011) which sets out the government’s commitment to support the development of state-funded schools and their delivery through the planning system.

In light of the above and the Duty to Cooperate on strategic priorities such as community infrastructure (NPPF para 24-27), DfE encourages close working with local authorities during all stages of planning policy development to help guide the development of new school infrastructure and to meet the predicted demand for primary and secondary school places (including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities ‘SEND’ provision for children and young adults up to age 25 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan). Please add DfE to your list of relevant organisations with which you engage in preparation of the plan.
Please note that there are two routes available for establishing a new school. Firstly, a local authority may seek proposals from new school proposers (academy trusts) to establish a free school, after which the Regional Schools Commissioner will select the successful trust. Under this ‘local authority presumption route’ the local authority is responsible for finding the site, providing the capital and managing the build process. Secondly, school proposers can apply directly to DfE during an application round or ‘wave’ to set up a free school. The local authority is less involved in this route but may support groups in pre-opening and/or provide a site. Either of these routes can be used to deliver schools on land that has been provided as a developer contribution. DfE has published further general information on opening free schools as well as specifically in relation to opening free schools in garden communities.