Securing essential strategic infrastructure from development through the Community Infrastructure Levy
33.12 The JCS sets out the Greater Norwich Development Partnership’s intention to seek contributions towards infrastructure from development through the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – a much simplified tariff based approach – in accordance with current statutory provisions. The NPPF gives strong support to appropriately tested CIL charging as a means of delivering community infrastructure through the planning process, stating that the Community Infrastructure Levy should support and incentivise new development, particularly by placing control over a meaningful proportion of the funds raised with the neighbourhoods where development takes place.
33.13 Norwich city council, alongside its partner authorities in greater Norwich, was among the first tranche of local authorities to implement the CIL system. The tariff levied in this area is informed by development viability studies undertaken by independent consultants (GVA Grimley) in 2010, and subsequently adjusted to take account of changes in local economic circumstances and market conditions since that time.
33.14 CIL is non-negotiable and takes the form of a fixed charge per square metre for different types of development, payable when development commences. The proceeds of the levy will be spent on the local and sub-regional infrastructure necessary to support the ongoing development of the Greater Norwich area identified in the Infrastructure needs and funding study 2009. The individual projects making up that infrastructure and the priority and timing for their delivery is set out in a regularly reviewed Local investment plan and programme (LIPP) and five year business plan. Work is also underway to develop mechanisms for collecting and managing the funds.
33.15 CIL charging schedules were formally adopted for Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk in July 2013, following examination in October 2012. CIL revenue will be used to fund the major new infrastructure necessary as a result of large-scale growth which is strategically significant for the Norwich area as a whole, as opposed to works which are integral to the design of individual schemes (which would continue to be delivered by means of a planning obligation – see policy DM33 above). Decisions on the distribution and deployment of CIL receipts will be publicly accountable and informed by the priorities set by the JCS, the LIPP and five year delivery plan, also addressing local spending needs and priorities determined at community and neighbourhood level. The process of regular review of the Regulation 123 list will enable a rapid response to any changes in legislation broadening or restricting the scope of matters which are able to be dealt with by CIL.
33.16 CIL regulations provide for short term changes to the Regulation 123 list to be made at 28 days’ notice. This will ensure that the developers of major schemes offering specific planning benefits beyond the development site who wish to deliver these by means of a one-off planning obligation are able to do so without having to wait for a formal annual review of spending priorities through the LIPP. This flexibility will enable the process of determining applications for sustainable development to be expedited and delivered without delay, in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF.
References
- NPPF: CLG, 2012: Ensuring viability and deliverability in plan-making and decision taking; planning strategically across local boundaries; duty to cooperate; working collaboratively with other bodies to ensure coordination of strategic priorities.
- National Planning Practice Guidance: CLG 2014; Planning obligations; Viability.
- JCS policy 20: Implementation.
- Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010, as amended.
- Community Infrastructure Levy Guidance, CLG 2014.
- Planning Obligations and the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy practice note, Norwich City Council, 2013.
- Greater Norwich Development Partnership CIL documentation: see Greater Norwich Growth Board website at http://www.greaternorwichgrowth.org.uk/planning/cil/
- Background to CIL (GNDP webpage).
- Preliminary draft charging schedule (October 2011) and consultation responses.
- Draft charging schedule (February 2012).
- Viability advice on CIL/Tariff for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk GVA, December 2010 (and addendum, June 2011).
- CIL charging zones schedule, GVA August 2011.
- Supplementary viability evidence relating to flats in Norwich city, GNDP, December 2011.
- Supplementary evidence on residential viability, GNDP, December 2011.
- Supplementary evidence on the viability of large-scale convenience goods based retail development, GNDP, December 2011.
- Other GNDP CIL background documents, various.
