Doncaster education officials to be grilled by councillors over planned 150 home development
Plans to build 150 homes in Doncaster will once again be put to local councillors on the planning committee after they voted to defer making a decision on planning permission.
At the previous meeting of the planning committee on June 3, 2025, members of the committee questioned the £605,000 contribution officers in the City of Doncaster Council education department had decided was needed from the applicant to fund school places at nearby schools.
The contribution, which was agreed to by the developer of the site, is based on the number of school-age children a development is projected to bring to the area.
According to the explanation by education officers, which has been added to the report to be presented to councillors at the next planning meeting, the projection is “grounded in objective evidence” from sources like the Spring 2024 School Census, NHS birth data and Doncaster’s housing trajectory.
The report states: “The resulting contribution is directly linked to the actual projected pupil yield and any identified shortfall in local school capacity.”
It said it was important for committee members to remember that “not every home will have school-aged children” with many occupied by couples, single adults or older residents.
Officers added: “Some children may also attend private schools, be of pre-school age or already be enrolled elsewhere.
“The education contribution of £605,509.00 is considered necessary, proportionate, and directly related to the proposed development.”
Officers from the education department will attend the next planning committee meeting on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in order to answer any additional questions from members.
Councillors are recommended to grant planning permission for the development, which would see 150 homes built on land north of Hatfield Lane in Barnby Dun.
The £605k contribution would fund 25 school places at two nearby schools; Hungerhill and Barnby Dun Primary Academy.
Plans include provision for 35 of the properties to be “affordable homes”, with the other 115 to be market housing.
In the previous planning committee meeting, Councillors Steve Cox and Neil Wood asked questions about other developments close to the named schools – adding they would all add demand.
Education officers said in their explanation that those developments have already contributed towards school places and “are included in the projected pupil numbers”.