Decision details

To seek approval to the content of a consultation on a review of the Borough’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule to amend rates for Welborne Garden Village.

In introducing CIL in April 2013, the Council recognised the substantial site-wide infrastructure costs associated with the Welborne Garden Village and committed to an early review of the charging schedule to respond to evidence that was emerging in line with the preparation of the Welborne Plan (Part 3 of the Fareham Borough Local Plan). Such an early review would take into account the Council’s requirements for the new community north of Fareham, including the infrastructure that would be required to support it, enabling an appropriate charge rate to be set for the area covered by the Welborne Plan.

This review was started in 2014 and was set to continue following adoption of the Welborne Plan, in June 2015. However, progress on the CIL charging schedule review was halted following the government's announcement of its intent to review the CIL Regulations in the autumn of that year.

Following the adoption of the Welborne Plan, progress on an outline planning application for Welborne proceeded. As part of the supporting material, the Welborne Infrastructure Delivery Plan showed how the developer intended to meet the infrastructure requirements of the Welborne Plan. The applicant presented the site wide infrastructure costs and viability issues and suggested that the scheme should not be liable to pay the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

This assessment has been reviewed by CBRE on behalf of the Council, who concurred with the applicant’s conclusion that the scheme cannot afford to pay both CIL and £308m of site wide infrastructure costs. This was considered by the Council at Planning Committee, which resolved to grant planning permission in December 2019, subject to the Section 106 agreement being finalised.

This report seeks approval to consult on a review of the Borough’s Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule, ‘zero rating’ the Welborne Local Plan area on viability grounds. The existing residential charge will remain unchanged and continue to be applied across the borough for applicable developments. Indexation will continue to be applied using the RICS CIL Index in line with the 2019 amendments to the CIL Regulations (2010).

Resolved that the Executive Member:

(a)  approves the Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule as set out in Appendix A to this report for public consultation for a period of 6 weeks;

(b)  agrees that the Director of Planning and Regeneration be authorised to make any necessary minor amendments, following consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Development, and delegates to him the authority to submit the Charging Schedule for Examination; and

(c) delegates to the Director of Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Development, the authority to procure and appoint an independent examiner to conduct the Charging Schedule Examination;