Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration considering options for the Mid Devon Community Infrastructure Levy in light of Government consultation proposals to reform the planning system in its White Paper and a recommendation to Council that the Mid Devon Community Infrastructure Levy draft Charging Schedule is withdrawn from examination and is no longer progressed.

The Cabinet had before it a *report of the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration considering options for the Mid Devon Community Infrastructure Levy in light of Government consultation proposals to reform the planning system in its White Paper and a recommendation to Council that the Mid Devon Community Infrastructure Levy draft Charging Schedule is withdrawn from examination and is no longer progressed.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the contents of the report stating that the Government was intent on making fundamental changes to the planning system. This included a proposal to replace the current twin regime of S106 planning obligations and Community Infrastructure Levy with a consolidated national Infrastructure Levy.

The introduction of the reforms would mean that should the Council continue with the examination of its submitted CIL draft charging schedule and progress this to adoption and implement, a CIL regime in Mid Devon would have a limited lifespan. Little if any CIL money was likely to be paid for the first two years, and calculations showed that forecast overall developer contributions through both a CIL and S106 planning obligations for open space for example may be about the same as the forecast potential total S106 planning obligations secured without a CIL in place.

The Council’s CIL draft charging schedule and supporting documentation was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in March 2017 for examination. In September 2019, changes were made to the CIL regulations which removed the restriction placed on the pooling of S106 planning obligations where this was previously a maximum of 5 per project or infrastructure type. The removal of this pooling restriction had given the Council greater flexibility in securing the contributions needed, including where there was no CIL charging schedule in place.

(Proposed by Cllr R J Chesterton and seconded by Cllr C R Slade)

Reason for decision – In light of updated circumstances and in anticipation of reform, there is now a need to decide whether to proceed with the Community Infrastructure Levy given the pending examination in public of the submitted draft charging schedule.

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.