A seven-strong package of county council land and property deals have been given the green light.

This has involved making best use of housing developer contributions to release around £1.5 million worth of grant funding, with no cost to the taxpayer.

The funding will now be invested to improve school facilities, boost school places including for SEN pupils (Special Educational Needs).

Three parcels of council land are also set to be sold to developers so more money can be invested back into council services.

The go-ahead for grant funding has been given to:

  • £332,800 to Minster Trust for Education towards the conversion and expansion of a former caretaker’s bungalow. This will provide additional teaching space and unlock five extra SEN pupil places at Farnsfield St Michael's Church of England Primary School.
  • £102,495 towards a second phase of improvement work at St Luke’s primary school, Shireoaks, Worksop, to help increase school places from 25 to 30.
  • £506,817 to further boost facilities and provide a better learning environment for pupils and staff at Bracken Lane Primary School in Retford. This comes off the back of previous work to increase school places.
  • £507,510 towards the purchase and refurbishment of unused parish council office space. This will help improve facilities for St Wilfrid's primary school in Calverton. To help get best value, this work will be monitored by the council’s property partner Arc Partnership.

Deals to sell unused county council land which will help unlock developments are:

  • The sale of land at Westdale Road, Jacksdale.
  • The sale of 1.2 acres of council land off Fiskerton Road, Southwell.
  • To progress the planned sale of 11.5 acres of land at Beck Lane in Skegby, the county council has entered into a new, collaborative agreement with a neighbouring landowner.

Councillor James Walker-Gurley, the county council's Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management, said he was delighted to give the go-ahead to these investments and land agreements.

He said: “It is important that we really maximise housing developer contributions.

“Afterall, it is our duty to make sure this money is being spent in a way which will really benefit local schools, including making sure pupils can learn in a fit-for-purpose environment and increasing school places where possible, as every place counts.

“We want to be as commercially-savvy as possible with our land, which is why we have property experts looking at the best ways we can sell unwanted land and secure the best deals. This is good news for taxpayers as we can invest this money back into council services.”