Maldon District Council (MDC) has responded to residents' concerns over an extract from the current Local Development Plan (LDP) that refer to secondary education provision in the Burnham-on-Crouch and Dengie area.

The statement on secondary school provision in the current LDP was raised as a concern by residents after it emerged on Monday (1 March) that some children from the Dengie area had been allocated secondary school places as far away as Brightlingsea, a situation which Essex County Council is now working with local schools to resolve.

The plan was approved by the Government in 2017 and acts as a strong guide for development in the area. MDC announced last week that it is revisiting the plan early now that there is some spare officer capacity due to the company behind proposals for Bradwell B putting the consultation with the council on hold.

The LDP point on secondary school places reads:

"The only secondary school in Burnham-on-Crouch is the Ormiston Rivers Academy. The pupil roll for the Ormiston Rivers Academy is forecast to decline as a direct result of the ageing population within its catchment area. The resulting pupil yield from the proposed growth in Burnham-on-Crouch can be sufficiently accommodated within the capacity of the school."

However, MDC pointed out that the LDP statements on the demand for school places had been written in consultation with Essex County Council, as the local education authority - and that funds towards schools provision from developers goes to the county council.

A spokesperson for MDC said: "Prior to the Secretary of State accepting the adoption of our Local Development Plan in 2017, the council consulted with Essex County Council as the Local Education Authority, regarding the capacity for school places at that current time.

"The Local Development Plan included a specific requirement for development to support the expansion of schools if this is required.

"As part of the planning permission process, developers have been required to pay a sum directly to the Local Education Authority (ECC), for them to use to facilitate the expansion or increased capacity which would be needed for the schools to mitigate the impact development can otherwise cause."