BUSINESSES and the public can now comment on plans by Cotswold District Council (CDC) to introduce a charge or tax on new developments that will fund infrastructure improvements.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is being considered to replace the Section 106 agreements which involve the developers entering into legal agreements with the council to build or pay for infrastructure to support the new development.

These agreements only attract funding from about 6 per cent of planning permissions.

Additionally, they can lead to delays – and omissions – while there are lengthy negotiations.

CDC believe that the new levy will be a more efficient and fair way of obtaining funds for general infrastructural improvements when developments are granted planning permission as the cost will not lie solely on one developer.

The charges will pay for improvements to support new developments such as contributions to school places, creation of open space, library provision and transport works.

The charges would be based on a 'tariff-style' framework relative to the size and type of development proposed.

They will provide developers much more certainty regarding how much money they will be expected to contribute to infrastructural improvements.

Part of a CIL will be passed directly back to the communities where development takes place. 

The ‘meaningful proportion’ is 15 per cent of the CIL capped at £100 per existing council tax paying dwelling, or 25 per cent of the CIL, uncapped, where a community has a Neighbourhood Plan or Neighbourhood Development Order in place.

The CIL proposal excludes contributions for Affordable Housing which will continue to be covered by Section 106 agreements.

The council have produced a Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule for public consultation which began on Monday, June 27 and ends on Monday, August 8 at midnight.

Residents are being asked to review the draft and the supporting evidence which can be found at http://consult.cotswold.gov.uk.

Hard copies of the schedule will be available for viewing at the Council’s offices in Trinity Road, Cirencester and Moreton Area Centre, as well as public libraries across the district.

Comments can be made via the CDC website or by obtaining forms from the Council offices or online at www.cotswold.gov.uk/go/ForwardPlanning and sending them to CIL PDCS Consultation, Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1PX.

The council will publish a draft charging schedule in the autumn, inviting the public to make further representations.

After any amendments are made, the proposal will be examined by an inspector early next year.

Any person commenting on the schedule during the autumn consultation may request to be heard at the examination stage.

Cllr Nick Parsons, deputy leader of CDC and cabinet member for forward planning, believed that the CIL approach was a positive step forward.

He said:“There are many benefits to adopting CIL. Most notably, experience of local authorities so far has shown that CILs deliver additional funding to carry out a wide range of general infrastructure projects that support growth and benefit the local community.

"We will also have the flexibility and freedom to set our own priorities on spending the money in line with local requirements, as well as having access to a predictable source of funding which will enable us to plan ahead more effectively.

“CIL is also good news for local people because they will gain a better understanding about how new development is contributing to the funding of their community requirements."