Board of Managements, Property Developers, and Remits

dalta5billion

Hypothetical Situation:

Property Developer wants to apply for planning permission to build large housing estate in small village.

Property Developer offers to throw in a few extra classrooms for the local (already overflowing, underresourced) primary school and a few hi-tech gimmicks.

The Property Developer at first includes plans for the extension to the school and his housing estate in the same application, then later makes them into two separate applications.

Board of Management and Principal write letters in support of the housing development application to the County Council, mentioning specifically their delight at the prospect of the extension for the school.


Questions:

1) Are such donations or sweeteners by property developers allowed under planning law as part of the application process, i.e. to be used as a "good point" on their application?

2) Did the Board of Management and Principal step outside of their remit by writing letters to the County Council in support of a third party development?

loremolis

dalta5billion wrote: »

Hypothetical Situation:

Property Developer wants to apply for planning permission to build large housing estate in small village.

Property Developer offers to throw in a few extra classrooms for the local (already overflowing, underresourced) primary school and a few hi-tech gimmicks.

The Property Developer at first includes plans for the extension to the school and his housing estate in the same application, then later makes them into two separate applications.

Board of Management and Principal write letters in support of the housing development application to the County Council, mentioning specifically their delight at the prospect of the extension for the school.


Questions:

1) Are such donations or sweeteners by property developers allowed under planning law as part of the application process, i.e. to be used as a "good point" on their application?

2) Did the Board of Management and Principal step outside of their remit by writing letters to the County Council in support of a third party development?

1. Yes
2. No

Victor

Potentially the council simply conditions the planning permission for the houses that only X can be built and only Y can be occupied before the school is extended. You might make that suggestion to the council planning department immediately.
The school may be naive in thinking that the developer will cover all costs, whereas the developer has only agreed to certain things.

The school board of management would be well advised to get advice from their sponsor (proper word escapes me) and the Department of Education's Building Unit before entering any agreement with the developer or incurring any expense.

What about other services - secondary school, roads, water, energy, shops, doctor, etc.? Make sure that there is a walk-able / cycle-able route from the estate to the school.

godtabh

Victor wrote: »

Potentially the council simply conditions the planning permission for the houses that only X can be built and only Y can be occupied before the school is extended. You might make that suggestion to the council planning department immediately.
The school may be naive in thinking that the developer will cover all costs, whereas the developer has only agreed to certain things.

The school board of management would be well advised to get advice from their sponsor (proper word escapes me) and the Department of Education's Building Unit before entering any agreement with the developer or incurring any expense.

What about other services - secondary school, roads, water, energy, shops, doctor, etc.? Make sure that there is a walk-able / cycle-able route from the estate to the school.

Patron?

This type of thing happens a lot. Depending on how savy the school is it could be a very good thing.