Forum responds to OPDC consultation on CIL

The Forum has responded to the consultation carried out by by the OPDC on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).   CIL is a levy applied to different classes of development, paid by the developer or planning applicant to the local planning authority.

Our response comments on the charging levels proposed by the OPDC and questions how consultation on the 15% ‘neighbourhood element’ of CIL will take place.  This portion of CIL is not required to be spent solely on ‘infrastructure’ and local people in the OPDC area will have other priorities to suggest.  Social and education facilities will be amongst these, as well as bridges and roads and rail stations.

In areas with a ‘made’ (i.e. adopted) neighbourhood plan, 25% of CIL receipts are treated as ‘Neighbourhood CIL’  In a rural area with parish councils, these funds are handed to the parish for them to decide on how these funds should be spent.  In non-parished area, Government expects the neighbourhood forum to be given a strong say in the allocation of this 25% element.  This is part of Government policy for incentivising neighbourhood planning across England.

We have discussed with OPDC planning officers the handling of Neighbourhood CIL, given that CIL receipts within the OPDC area will ultimately be huge. There is a lot of major infrastructure to be paid for through the use of CIL and S106 receipts.  We have suggested that there should be a Memorandum of Understanding between the OPDC and the neighbourhood forum, defining how best to consult and agree on the use of Neighbourhood CIL.

A copy of our response can be downloaded here oonf-comments-on-opdc-cil-consultation-final

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *