The Acting Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning presented a detailed report on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which was a new levy that local authorities in England and Wales could choose to charge on new developments in their area. The CIL would have significant implications for the use of planning agreements and obligations and the Acting Director commented on the changing legal and policy context for planning agreements and obligations and on the potential for the CIL to provide future funding for essential infrastructure. He provided details of levy charges per square metre of development that were proposed by other Councils and commented that the level of CIL was required to be informed by an evidence base

The Acting Director also outlined the content of a national consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on detailed proposals and draft regulations for reform of the CIL, which could have implications for securing financial benefits from new development to be used to provide new infrastructure required by the wider community. He set out in an appendix to his report a suggested formal response to the DCLG.

Resolved –

(1)  That an evidence base of infrastructure to support the Core Strategy is prepared with the engagement of all Council Departments and Heads of Service and with relevant external infrastructure providers to determine infrastructure requirements for each of the Settlement Areas identified in the Core Strategy and that Officers draw up a draft Charging Schedule of infrastructure and costs to support the Core Strategy including an assessment of the impact on the viability of future development and that this will be the subject of a further Cabinet report to determine the likely costs applicable should the CIL be introduced in Wirral.

(2)  That the comments set out in Appendix 1 to the report now submitted form the basis of the Council’s response to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

(3)  That the report be referred to Planning Committee for information.