POLICY HC3: Strategic Approach to Education, Skills and Learning The Council will work with the Lead Authority for Education (including Early Years and Childcare), and other education and skills development providers to provide new, continued, and where appropriate, enhanced provision of schools and other educational and skills facilities which seek to improve the quality and choice of education, skills development and learning opportunities in the Borough. In particular, the Council will support in principle, proposals which: 1. Provide new or expanded early years and childcare, primary and secondary schools (including SEND provision) as required to accommodate residential growth; 2. Enable local people to better access employment opportunities within the Borough; 3. Provide opportunities for community activity and engagement to reduce social isolation, particularly amongst older people. This should be considered at the inception of the development, provided through Community Use Agreements; and 4. Encourage additional or existing joint use of education land, buildings or facilities by other community groups or activities. Such uses should not compromise the educational interests of the pupils.
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CHAPTER 10: Healthy Communities
Reasoned Justification 10.27 The retention of existing education facilities is an important objective of the Local Plan. The colleges, schools (including SEND) Early Years provision and Adult Community Learning provide education provision to the whole community and contribute significantly to the local economy. This is supported by the wider culture and community provision provided by libraries offering cultural, lifelong learning and skills and access to services within the community, and the provision of youth services. 10.28 The Lead Authority for Education has the responsibility for early years and school place planning, including SEND. Their annual 10 Year Plan for School Places forecasts change in pupil numbers based on a number of factors including census data, number of places offered for the latest school year, historical trends and GP registrations. The number of additional pupils likely to be generated by new housing growth is also considered within the forecasts. The 10 Year Plan makes reference to additional provision proposed in the Local Plan to accommodate planned growth. Whether the change of use or redevelopment of independent schools would be considered surplus to educational requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In respect of Early Years Child Care, they also prepare a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment which looks at local demographics, demand and the quality of childcare available across Essex. 10.29 The Council will work collaboratively with developers, the lead Authority for Education and other relevant bodies to deliver the schools required to support the growth arising from this plan.
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Alternatives Considered 10.30 No policy – the alternative approach is to have no policy on the provision of educational facilities and to rely on the NPPF. It is not considered that the NPPF provides sufficient guidance for the appropriate consideration of proposals involving the provision of schools and other educational facilities in order to meet local needs. It is therefore considered that policy HC3 is necessary because its objectives provide a local interpretation of the NPPF in favour of widening choice in education for existing and new communities.
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