Agenda item

Community Infrastructure Levy

To receive a progress update on the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy, to include an update on Neighbourhood Plans.

Minutes:

The Chief Officer: Planning and Transport and the Head of Spatial Policy presented a report providing an update on the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in Bracknell Forest.  The report included an update on progress made to date, details of the next steps in the approval process, potential changes to CIL regulations, a summary of the responses received during consultation on the CIL’s Draft Charging Schedule and an update on the status of Neighbourhood Plans in the Borough.

 

It was reported that the Draft Charging Schedule would, with a number of supporting documents including a summary of the main points raised during the consultation period, be submitted to the Secretary of State.  Once this had been done the Planning Inspectorate would allocate an examiner and a date set for examination.  It was expected that the earliest date that the CIL would be brought to the Council for approval would be January 2014. 

 

Arising from the subsequent discussion the following points were noted:

 

  • The IT system that would be used for CIL payments forms part of the system used currently for S06 payments.  Dummy runs using the system would be carried out in the coming weeks to ensure that there were no problems
  • Clarification would be given over the definition of ‘discount market housing’
  • There were currently no Neighbourhood Plans in place and no requests had been received by the Council to designate Neighbourhood Plan areas, the first step in the process
  • If CIL was collected on a development then the relevant parish council could claim 15% of the sum agreed if there was no Neighbourhood Plan.  If a Neighbourhood Plan was in place then the parish council could claim 25% of the CIL.  However CIL could not be claimed retrospectively
  • CIL could only be charged if its application did not make a development unviable
  • It was not unusual to have zones that were zero rated for CIL
  • Funding claims for infrastructure projects could be levied on a site specific basis even if the development was in a zero rated area.  However zero rated areas tended to be urban areas that were unable to bear a CIL to the same level as a green field site
  • Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) funding was also used to pay for infrastructure work and whilst there would be developments that wouldn’t attract CIL payments they could attract SANG payments.  However Central Government has said that SANG payments could only be claimed through the CIL scheme consequently allowances have had to be made in the CIL Charging Scheme for this situation
  • During the development of the CIL Charging Schedule there had to be a clear demonstration that the Local Authority was working co-operatively with neighbouring authorities with regard to infrastructure planning
  • Developers had to make CIL payments within 60 days of the commencement of development.  However developers of larger schemes could opt to make staged payments
  • Local authorities would be able to impose stringent legal and financial penalties on a developer for non-payment of CIL
  • CIL levels were likely to be key for developers when considering where to locate a development.  Proposed CIL Levels in Bracknell Forest were currently thought to be at a viable and sustainable level

 

The Commission thanked officers for the update.

Supporting documents:

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk