Agenda item

(Shaping our District – Cllr K Williamson) To explore the establishment of a Community Infrastructure Levy for the District (C-019-2024-25).

(1)           That the Cabinet agreed the Council use financial and specialist support and advice being made available through Essex County Council to explore the potential for bringing forward a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in the District.

(2)           That the Cabinet agreed the Council proceed with commissioning a CIL viability study to assess the potential for a levy to be applied to new development in the District and provide recommendations on appropriate potential CIL rates.

The Shaping our District Portfolio Holder (Councillor K Williamson) stated that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would be invaluable for providing financial support for additional work and funding for infrastructure for sites. The proposal included using specialist support and advice available from Essex County Council to commission a CIL viability study to assess the potential CIL rates, which could be applied .

The following questions were raised at the meeting.

Councillor Jon Whitehouse queried if Planning Services would be updating the Consolidated and Updated Viability Evidence published on the website in 2020 because other strategies had been delivered since then. The Portfolio Holder acknowledged this was a live document and although there were no changes to the policies, the Local Plan sites were updated. The Planning Services Director (N Richardson) confirmed the 2020 version was the only one available, but this would be part of the exercise. Moreover, the consultants tasked with this work were familiar with our Local Plan, as they had previously worked for EFDC.

Councillor S Murray asked if single large developments could get a S106 Legal Agreement, Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (EFSAC) charge and a CIL. The Portfolio Holder advised that a S106 Legal Agreement would still be available while the CIL was looking at overall development in the District.

Councillor H Kauffman commented it was a complex subject. While a working mechanism was being put forward that looked good in theory, what were the practicalities behind it and a clear scale of charges was also needed. More development put greater pressure on existing services, especially GP surgeries. The practicalities were that more GP surgeries were needed but how much did they cost? Also, what was the Council’s goal, and what was it trying to achieve? The Portfolio Holder replied that the Cabinet wanted to commission a CIL viability study. The CIL would be set up by professionals, independently assessed and signed off. A proportion of the CIL would go towards funding the delivery of new infrastructure and this was addressed in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan published in 2020.

Councillor H Whitbread remarked that health infrastructure was very important, and she was concerned, for example, by health provision for the South Epping Masterplan Area. Work needed to be done with our health partners because the NHS / Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board would specify how much funding it wanted but this might be too low to deliver a GP surgery. The Portfolio Holder stated that a S106 Legal Agreement could still be used for this funding if specifically requested.

Councillor C Pond commented that he was pleased the CIL was moving forward as it had been in the pipeline for several years. The Portfolio replied that the intention was for the Council to adopt the CIL policy by the winter of 2025.

The report set out the options considered, if any, and the reasons for the  recommendation and the decision.

            Decision:

(1)            That the Cabinet agreed the Council use financial and specialist support and advice being made available through Essex County Council to explore the potential for bringing forward a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in the District.

(2)            That the Cabinet agreed the Council proceed with commissioning a CIL viability study to assess the potential for a levy to be applied to new development in the District and provide recommendations on appropriate potential CIL rates.