East Devon adopts CIL charging schedule
As from Wednesday 20 April 2016, East Devon District Council has formally adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule (CIL).
The charge will come into effect on 1 September 2016, allowing the council time to establish an internal process for the collection and administration of the levy. It will also give applicants and developers a reasonable lead time to become aware of the charges that will apply from that date.
The CIL is a planning charge, introduced by the Planning Act 2008, which local authorities can choose to levy on new developments in their area to help pay for infrastructure that is needed as a result of development. The types of infrastructure that CIL is likely to be spent on are set out in the council’s “Regulation 123 List”. But, for instance, this could include schools, health facilities, new roads, habitat mitigation, open space and recreation facilities.
Once the charge comes into effect, most developer contributions towards off-site infrastructure will be delivered through the CIL charge, replacing the off-site open space, education and habitat mitigation contributions, which are currently dealt with (along with other options) through S106 Agreements. However, S106 agreements will continue to be used to deliver site specific infrastructure and affordable housing.
CIL charges are calculated on a per m2 basis and vary depending on the type of development and where in East Devon the development is taking place.
In accordance with the CIL regulations and Planning Act 2008, prior to adoption, the charging schedule underwent extensive public consultation and was submitted for examination to an independent inspector, Mr Anthony Thickett. A key test of the examination was to ensure that the charges proposed in the charging schedule did not put development of the area as a whole or the delivery of the Local Plan at risk.
CIL charging schedule
Residential
£68 per m2 Cranbrook expansion areas
£80 per m2 Axminster, Cranbrook (existing town), Ottery St Mary, Seaton and edge of Exeter allocation sites (defined by new Built-up Area Boundaries (BUAB) and proposed strategic allocations
£125 per m2 Sidmouth, coast and rural (the rest of East Devon)
Retail
£0 per m2 Inside town centre shopping areas (as defined in the new Local Plan)
£0 per m2 Cranbrook (as defined by the existing town, plus expansion areas)
£150 per m2 Sidmouth, coast and rural (the rest of East Devon)
All other non residential uses
£0 per m2 Inside town centre shopping areas (as defined in the new Local Plan)
£0 per m2 Cranbrook (as defined by the existing town, plus expansion areas)
£0 per m2 Sidmouth, coast and rural (the rest of East Devon)
Councillor Andrew Moulding, East Devon District Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio holder for Strategic development and partnerships, said: “The tariff-based approach of this levy will help fund new infrastructure to unlock land for growth. It will benefit developers because it is a fairer, faster and more transparent system than was previously in place. It will provide developers with greater certainty, in advance, of how much money they will be expected to contribute, thus avoiding the need for protracted negotiations and ensuing lengthy delays.
“It is right that those who benefit financially from developments should share a proportion of that gain with the local community to help make their development acceptable and sustainable, through the provision of infrastructure, services and amenities.”
For more information on the CIL, including the adopted Charging Schedule, maps of charging zones and the Regulation 123 List please visit the CIL web pages at: http://eastdevon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/community-infrastructur...
