Support

Representation ID: 23423

Received: 15/02/2022

Respondent: L&Q Estates

Agent: Barton Willmore

7.14 Draft Policy HOU5 states that where a housing development of ten or more homes would increase the need for education facilities to the extent that new or improved facilities would be required to meet this need, planning obligations or Community Infrastructure Levy will be secured sufficient to meet the need, where this is financially viable. For strategic allocations, the likely requirement for on-site provision of new schools is set out in Chapter 13. Accordingly, Draft Policy WSA4 (Yieldfields Farm) (contained in Chapter 13) sets out that Yieldfields could deliver a new on-site primary school, in addition to a contribution to improvements for secondary school provision in North Bloxwich.

7.15 We support Draft Policy HOU5 and consider that Yieldfields could deliver a primary school to be positioned centrally within the site. The Vision Document demonstrates that the Site could also provide a significant amount of open space to include informal sports provision and children’s play areas.

7.16 In addition, the development would also make a financial contribution towards other local infrastructure, such as transport and secondary school provision. Therefore, we also support of Part 2 of Draft Policy HOU5, which states that where land is provided for a new school as part of a housing development, the financial contribution made by that development towards education facilities will be reduced accordingly.

7.17 Draft Part 4 of Policy HOU5 advises that new and redeveloped education facilities should include provision for wider community use of sports and other facilities where appropriate. Whilst we support the general requirements and intentions of Draft Part 4 of Policy HOU5, clarification is required in relation to whether this policy would apply if strategic allocations include provision for community use of sports and other facilities elsewhere within the site, but not necessarily as part of education facilities