Community Infrastructure Levy

The use of Planning Obligations (S106 agreements) were legal agreements between the council and developers negotiated through the planning application system.  The purpose was to mitigate the negative impact of developments to provide new infrastructure such as new roads or new schools. Brent standardised much of the S106 system so that what a developer paid related to the number of homes developed.  With the new Community Infrastructure Levy, (CIL) the government requires councils to go further with this idea and to levy a straight per square metre charge on all development over a given size.  Also, with CIL, there will have to be a more local determination as to how the funds are allocated and will involve ward councillors and residents in decisions.