91ÖÆƬ³§

Provision of sufficient good quality education provision is crucial in ensuring that all children have the opportunity to gain the vital knowledge, skills and qualifications needed for a bright start in life. 

New housing tends to attract younger families with pre-school and school-aged children and young people, and this has an impact on local schools and early years providers. Where the additional demand for school and early years places can’t be met within the existing provision, the developer can be required to make a financial contribution towards the cost of increasing education places locally, to mitigate the impact that their development will make on education infrastructure.

91ÖÆƬ³§County Council’s Education Planning Obligations Policy (‘the Policy’) sets out our approach to developer contributions. 

2025 Consultation on updates to the Policy 

The Policy was last updated following a public consultation in May 2019 (only annual updates to the Building Cost Multiplier rates have been made since then). 

The decision to move this proposal to public consultation was agreed by Cabinet on 6 February 2025, and a full public consultation was held between Tuesday 6 May and midday Tuesday 17 June 2025.

Outcome of the consultation

The proposed amendments to the Policy, together with all of the consultation feedback received, was considered by the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education, and the amendments were approved on 18 September.

The revised policy took effect on 1 October 2025 and applies to all planning application validated from 1 October onwards.

• Education Planning Obligations Policy 91ÖÆƬ³§(PDF)