AMBITIOUS plans are being drawn up in Cornwall to land almost £2 billion funding to build new homes and school buildings over the next 30 years. Cornwall Council leader Alec Robertson believes the public and private sector funding could also provide 10,000 new jobs in the county.

Members of council's executive have agreed to support the submission of an outline business case for Government funding for housing which, if successful, could attract up to £300 million to build new affordable and extra care housing for vulnerable people by 2040.

But opposition party members have warned that indigenous housing needs and food security must be placed at the centre of the plans and that the question of extra funding for schools is not clear.

Earlier this month, the Government announced that Cornwall had been formally admitted to the national Building Schools for the Future programme.

The council has been initially allocated about £70 million of Government funding to rebuild or refurbish the six secondary schools identified within its "priority" wave.

But the programme could see Cornwall receive up to £500 million to replace or refurbish all of its 31 secondary schools over the next 15 years.

The council is also playing a leading role in the controversial St Austell and Mid Cornwall Clay Country eco-town development.

Cornwall will receive about £15 million of Government cash to bankroll the first phase of the project over the next two years, but it is hoped the scheme will ultimately lead to about £1 billion of private sector investment in this part of the county.

Alec Robertson, leader of the Conservative cabinet, said: "Together, these three projects could see almost £2 billion being invested in providing new homes and schools across Cornwall.

"As well as enabling the council to build hundreds of new homes and transform our secondary schools, this funding will also provide a much needed boost for Cornwall's economy and could create at least 10,000 new well-paid, higher-skilled and long-term jobs."

Details of the Private Finance Initiative Affordable and Extra Care Housing project were outlined to councillors at last week's meeting by Mark Kaczmarek, the council's cabinet member for housing, who said the scheme would benefit many people in the county.

He added: "Delivering affordable homes to meet the needs of local communities is a key priority for Cornwall Council. This project is not about building large housing estates in major towns, however.

"We are looking at developing a range of small and medium-sized schemes in our villages and small towns where there is a real and urgent need for this type of housing."

The scheme will involve building 441 new, affordable local needs homes, with a further 300 for the elderly and those with disabilities.

The Conservatives' political opponents last night voiced caution over the impact of the extra cash – if it materialised.

Lib-Dem Coun Edwina Hannaford, who sits on the environment, economy overview and scrutiny committee, said: "We have to see evidence in the plans that new affordable homes will be built for local people first, before they are built for those who are migrating to Cornwall.

"Also, we have to take care that the new homes are not built on prime greenfield sites, which could in future be used to grow produce to feed the people of Cornwall.

"Future food security is essential if we are to be a sustainable."

Fellow Lib-Dem Graham Walker, who sits on the children, education and families overview and scrutiny committee, said questions had been raised over the £70 million for the six Cornish schools.

He added: "Although the funding has been approved, it would appear that the rules over the PFI funding might have now changed.

"It's our understanding that only schools who are either foundation or trust schools are eligible, which none of the six are.

"In order to gain foundation or trust status, the schools would have to opt out of local authority control, which would mean they set the own admission criteria, working conditions and take care of their own buildings."

The outline business case will be submitted to the Government during the summer.