The Government has published new guidance which sets out how councils can encourage housing developers to fund the school places their developments create.

The guidance, which was published today by the Department for Education, will support local authorities to negotiate what funding and land is required from housing developers for new schools and school expansions.

‘It isn’t enough for developers simply to build houses; we need to build communities. Schools are at the centre of any community and that’s why it’s vital that developers contribute to the cost of the school places they create,’ said schools minister Lord Agnew.

‘This Government is already undertaking a huge expansion in school places, with one million new places on track to be created this decade. But schools can still find themselves under pressure from new housing developments, and where they do it’s right that where appropriate developers support these costs.’

New Schools Network director Luke Tryl commented: ‘We welcome the clarity this guidance provides local authorities on how developers can help contribute to the provision of new schools.

‘We hope it will minimise the amount of time schools planned as part of housing developments spend in the pre-opening phase, while land acquisition and access are negotiated.’