Section 106 legal agreements

Section 106 (S106) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows us, as the local planning authority, to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a landowner as part of the granting of planning permission. The obligation is called a Section 106 Agreement.

These agreements are a way of delivering or addressing matters that are necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. They are increasingly used to support the provision of services and infrastructure, such as highways, recreational facilities, education, health and affordable housing.

Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows landowners to enter into planning obligations either:

• individually
• or by agreement with the council as local planning authority

Planning obligations must relate to a specific area of land that is identified on a plan or map attaching to the obligation. They are usually (but not always) used to make sure that a planning permission is carried out satisfactorily.