Developers in Derbyshire coughed up nearly £700,000 for school improvements across the county last year.

All of this funding was given by developers after they entered into Section 106 agreements with councils in the county as part of agreements allowing their planning applications to go ahead in the area.

As part of these decisions, developers agreed to pledge money to schools for improvements such as building new classrooms or remodelling reception areas.

Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire
Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire

A Section 106 agreement is a legal deal between councils and developers aimed at make planning applications more appealing.

Other forms of Section 106 agreements include providing money for more parking spaces at nearby bus or train stations, or extra money for libraries and health-care centres. Councils often impose them on housing developments because such building means more families will be moving to the area.

In total during 2017, developers coughed up £697,583 in Derbyshire.

By far the highest contribution - almost half of the money that has been cashed in during the last year - is £326,347.23 which will be spent on Tibshelf Community School near Alfreton.

A high and increasing proportion of pupils at Tibshelf have additional needs which has reportedly put pressure on accommodation throughout the school.

Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire
Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire

Funds would provide a building with two 55sqm classrooms and toilets to allow the school to better meet the needs of all its pupils, including mainstream children.

Next up is Charlotte Nursery and Infant School in Ilkeston which will receive £194,000 for a new classroom.

After this is Repton Primary School in Springfield Road which will gain a combined £105,755.71.

This will go towards improving the reception classroom and reception area.

Developments in Longlands and Askew Drive have seen £93,819.21 and £11,936.50 gifted respectively in Repton.

Heath Primary School in Chesterfield will be given £68,394.06 to build two new classrooms as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme project - the total cost of the project is £348,000.

Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire
Almost £700,000 has been coughed up by developers to fund schools in Derbyshire

Finally, Etwall Primary School will be given £3,086 towards plans to build two new classrooms.

The amount of funding given to each school is dependent on the size and scale of the relevant planning application which the developers are proposing.

For example, a large housing application would mean a school would need to cater for far more children, and as such build further classrooms.

But if a developer is presenting a smaller bid then their contribution would be a lower figure, however this could still be gifted as part of a larger project currently ongoing at the school. Not every planning application will result in a developer being asked to pay 106 money, especially when it comes to smaller plans.