Housing should only come with proper infrastructure from now on
Wednesday, 22nd February 2012.
A new guide aims to make sure proper infrastructure is put in place for housing developments in Suffolk in future.
Suffolk County Council’s cabinet today approved a new guide designed to make it easier for property developers to plan new developments and work with councils across Suffolk for the benefit of local communities.
The guide will ensure that essential public services needed to support new developments, such as roads, schools and even broadband connections, are properly funded and put in place so that existing communities are not disadvantaged by new building projects.
The document gives developers a greater understanding of what is required from them under ‘Section 106 agreements’ - an important part of the planning process which secures the necessary investment in new infrastructure and improving existing services.
It has been specifically designed to avoid placing unrealistic financial demands on developers which could discourage developments and, therefore, economic growth throughout Suffolk.
The new guide gives developers much more certainty over what will be required of them but still allows for decision making by councillors who know what is needed locally.
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s portfolio holder for roads, planning and transport, said: “The new guide will help local councils work with Suffolk’s developers and local communities to deliver the sustainable economic growth which our county needs.
“This is not about placing unreasonable burdens on developers who we know will play an important role in our country’s economic recovery. This is about making sure appropriate contributions are made so that the public services needed to support new developments can be put in place.
”We have to find an appropriate balance between supporting economic growth through property developments, such as housing, and protecting quality of life for Suffolk people. I think that this new guide helps us achieve that balance and work positively for the greater good of Suffolk.”
The guide was developed with all of Suffolk’s local councils and in consultation with local people, groups and organisations.
It has already been adopted by Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council and it is timetabled for consideration by the rest of Suffolk’s district and borough councils within the next month.
Public services set to benefit from this guide include: schools, fire services, health, highways and transport, libraries, police, housing and waste.
Suffolk County Council’s cabinet today approved a new guide designed to make it easier for property developers to plan new developments and work with councils across Suffolk for the benefit of local communities.
The guide will ensure that essential public services needed to support new developments, such as roads, schools and even broadband connections, are properly funded and put in place so that existing communities are not disadvantaged by new building projects.
The document gives developers a greater understanding of what is required from them under ‘Section 106 agreements’ - an important part of the planning process which secures the necessary investment in new infrastructure and improving existing services.
It has been specifically designed to avoid placing unrealistic financial demands on developers which could discourage developments and, therefore, economic growth throughout Suffolk.
The new guide gives developers much more certainty over what will be required of them but still allows for decision making by councillors who know what is needed locally.
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s portfolio holder for roads, planning and transport, said: “The new guide will help local councils work with Suffolk’s developers and local communities to deliver the sustainable economic growth which our county needs.
“This is not about placing unreasonable burdens on developers who we know will play an important role in our country’s economic recovery. This is about making sure appropriate contributions are made so that the public services needed to support new developments can be put in place.
”We have to find an appropriate balance between supporting economic growth through property developments, such as housing, and protecting quality of life for Suffolk people. I think that this new guide helps us achieve that balance and work positively for the greater good of Suffolk.”
The guide was developed with all of Suffolk’s local councils and in consultation with local people, groups and organisations.
It has already been adopted by Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council and it is timetabled for consideration by the rest of Suffolk’s district and borough councils within the next month.
Public services set to benefit from this guide include: schools, fire services, health, highways and transport, libraries, police, housing and waste.
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