Developers building new homes across Devon will now have to increase their education contributions by a fifth to support the delivery of more school places, after an updated policy was approved by councillors this week.
The National Planning Policy Framework supports the need for local schools to have the capacity to cope when new homes are built
Under the updated policy a larger proportion of the contribution – also called a Section 106 Agreement – will go towards supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and nursery places.
The updated policy was approved at Devon County Council’s Development Management Committee on Wednesday, (September 17), where councillors heard that the cost of providing new school places had increased over the past few years.
According to the Department for Education the cost of providing a new school place in England is now 21 per cent higher than it was in 2021.
For example, the cost for a new-build primary school place has risen from £20,305 to £24,659, a 21.4 per cent increase; while secondary school new-builds now costs £29,874 per place, up from £24,682, a 21 per cent increase.
Under the updated policy larger contributions would be required to support SEND children either through new special schools or the delivery of specialised units with mainstream schools.
Developers will also have to contribute to early years infrastructure for developments of 10 or more family homes in areas where there is a shortage of nursery places.
Councillor Michael Mitchell, Chair of the Development Management Committee, said:
“This policy continues to ensure that Devon County Council, as Local Education Authority, is able to request money from developers in areas where there is an education shortfall or need.
“We have updated it to reflect the reality of how much it costs in 2025 to provide the education that our children deserve.
“It will be applied equitably and in line with national policy and contributions will be index-linked so they will be adjusted for inflation.
“We will work with our partners in district planning authorities and developers to balance the educational needs of our children with broader community benefits, particularly the delivery of affordable homes.
“This policy ensures that we can continue to meet our statutory duties and deliver high-quality inclusive education for Devon’s growing communities.”
