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Since 1993, the Planning, Policy & Projects team at Ashfield District Council has been negotiating contributions from housing developers towards open space and recreational facilities (also known as Section 106 agreements).

These contributions help to ensure that sufficient good quality open spaces are provided to serve areas of increasing population.

• Improve existing open spaces.
• Provide new open spaces.
• Provide or improve woodland or other natural habitats.

Government planning advice regarding developer contributions is incorporated into the Council's Local Plan (due to be replaced by the Local Development Framework). This is used to negotiate payments when considering planning applications for new housing.

On agreed developments the council currently requires £2500 per dwelling to be paid. This figure is increased annually with inflation and land values.

In the last three years, more than £1 million of residential developer contributions have been allocated to projects. This has been used to attract a further £1.2 million in grant funding, more than doubling this investment into local open spaces.

How is the Money Spent?

Money received from housing developers can only be spent in the general area in which the new development is located. Ashfield is divided into four such areas including Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and the rural villages (including Jacksdale, Selston and Underwood).

When the money is received, 75% is allocated towards carrying out physical works and 25% towards the subsequent maintenance of those works to ensure that they are kept in good order.

The Council has established Area Consultative Groups, comprising local councillors, based on the four areas described above. These groups consider all proposed schemes and agree the allocation of funding.

Funding from housing developers has been used very successfully to attract a substantial amount of other grant/funding sources. For example, £3 million has been received from housing developers since 1993. This has been used to attract a further £750,000 of grants towards improving open spaces.