Bob Russell
Main Page: Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat - Colchester)
Mr Speaker
The Minister’s ship was sailing in the right direction; there was no need to go quite so close to the wind. But there you go.
Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)
4. What requirement is placed on local authorities to ensure that legal agreements within the planning consent for major developments include provision of funding for new schools.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)
I will try to be more prudent with my answer this time. The national planning policy framework is clear that where development generates the need for investment in more school places, plans should be brought up to secure that investment. Of course local authorities will also want to ensure that those plans can be funded.
Sir Bob Russell
The Minister might be aware of the lack of funding provision under the section 106 agreement for the new development in the north of Colchester. Will he meet me and representatives of Myland community council and Essex county council to see how we can retrieve the situation?
Nick Boles
Of course I would be delighted to meet my recently knighted hon. Friend, along with whomsoever he wants to bring to see me. I must point out that the funding of those investment plans is not strictly a planning matter, but I would be delighted to meet him.