Planning Obligations

Section 106 Agreements – Planning Obligations

What are section 106 agreements?

Section 106 agreements (S.106) are legal agreements between local authorities and developers, which are linked to a planning permission. These are also known as planning gain, planning benefits, community benefits or planning obligations, but are all the same thing.

S.106 agreements are drawn up when it is considered that a development will have negative impacts that can’t be dealt with through conditions in the planning permission. For example, new residential developments place additional pressure on the existing social, physical and economic infrastructure in the surrounding area. Planning obligations aim to balance the extra pressure from development, with improvements to the surrounding area, in order that a development makes a positive contribution to the local area.

Not all developments will require contributions. When a planning application is submitted to the council, an assessment is made of the likely level and type of the pressure that a development would generate. If the pressures are likely to be significant, the council and the developer will negotiate a s.106 agreement that lists all the things that the developer must do or provide to balance the impacts.

Who Deals with s.106 Agreements?

When an application is submitted to the planning department in the council, a development control case officer is appointed to deal with the application. The case officer will make an assessment as to whether contributions need to be made. The case officer is usually the first point of contact for the developer and can advise on the likely need for a s.106 agreement either at pre-application stage, or when an application is submitted. 

There is also a dedicated s.106 officer within the planning department, who assists the case officer in the negotiations with the developer, or provides advice at a pre-application stage.

Affordable Housing is dealt with by a separate officer; please see below.

Contact details:

John Wacher – Planning Benefits (s106)
E-mail: john.wacher@islington.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7527 2564 Or

Joe Wilson – Planning Benefits (s106)
E-mail: joe.wilson@islington.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7527 2564

Planning Policy, Projects and Information
Environment and Regeneration
PO Box 3333
222 Upper Street
London
N1 1YA

S106 Affordable Housing

There is a dedicated Affordable Housing Officer within the Housing and Planning department who takes the lead on negotiating affordable housing and advising Development Control Case Officers and potential applicants on all matters relating to affordable housing.

Contact details:

Yvette Siddo – Principal Affordable Housing Officer
Email: yvette.siddo@islington.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7527 4346/ 3973

Planning Policy, Projects and Housing Development
Environment and Regeneration
PO Box 3333
222 Upper Street
London N1 1YA