WHAT IS COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY?
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a planning charge introduced under the Planning Act 2008 and brought into force through regulations in 2010. The levy was introduced in Cheshire East from 1st March 2019 following the approval of the borough council’s CIL charging policy. Under this policy, CIL is charged on CIL liable residential development within Knutsford at £71 per sqm on the greenbelt and strategic housing sites allocated in the Local Plan 2017 and at £57 per sqm elsewhere in the Town.
Cheshire East Council must pay 25% of the CIL collected in Knutsford to the Town Council. Payments are made twice per year and whilst the receipts for most development will likely be minor, significant receipts will be generated on the strategic development sites on Manchester Road and Longridge.
The council has discretion on what it can spend CIL funds on, namely:
- The provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure; or
- Anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on an area
If the council does not spend its levy share within 5 years of receipt, or does not spend it on initiatives that support the development of the area, Cheshire East Council may require it to repay some or all of those funds.
CIL BALANCE
The Town Council currently holds CIL funds of £23,588
CIL SPENT
A total of £9,575 has been spent on projects in Knutsford.
ANNUAL REPORTS
We are required to publish an annual report detailing the receipts, expenditure and balances.
OUR CIL FRAMEWORK
We know that CIL receipts will create a significant investment into the Knutsford community and present opportunity to deliver a range of long-lasting projects. Whilst we may be the leading organisation for many projects in the community or the organisation which pushes the development of a project (e.g. minor highways projects) there are a number of potential projects which fall squarely under the remit of other organisations.
Our CIL Framework looks to enable the council to facilitate investment in the community through CIL. It enables organisations to put forward costed and deliverable projects for the council to consider adding to a CIL Projects List and we will put our own projects for through the same process.
We wanted to continue the spirit of the Neighbourhood Plan as a pan-community project and draw in wider expertise from the community so our CIL Projects Advisory Committee comprises councillors and volunteer residents for each theme of the plan. This committee reviews all project proposals and make a recommendation to Full Council as to whether a project should be added to the list.
We will look to secure long term community access for any projects delivered with CIL funding; this may be in the form of community use agreements or legal charges. The council may also attach any conditions it considers in the interests of the wider Knutsford community.
The inclusion of a project on the CIL Projects List does not commit the council to fund the project and depending on demand we know there will be worthwhile projects which the CIL available will not be able to fund. The Council will review the CIL Projects List following the receipt of CIL funds to determine whether a project be awarded funding. Funding will not be awarded on a ‘first come first served’ basis and we are under no obligation to fund projects just because we have the funds available to do so.
OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES
DEMONSTRATE VALUE FOR MONEY
Such as:
• Projects which use CIL funding to attract grant funding
• Projects which minimise the CIL requirement through use of own funds, third party funding and community fundraising
• Projects which utilise robust tendering processes to ensure contracted services are cost effective
DEMONSTRATE COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Such as:
• Projects which deliver aspirations identified in the Knutsford Neighbourhood Plan
• Projects which have been subject to community consultation
• Projects which can evidence a need in the community
DELIVER LONG-TERM TANGIBLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Such as:
• Projects which safeguard and increase the viability of community assets for long-term community use
• Projects which have a lifespan in excess of 20 years
• Projects which demonstrate the benefit will be sustained with revenue expenditure
• Projects which reduce running costs or increase revenue generation
MITIGATE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT
Such as:
• Projects which deliver infrastructure identified as being required in the community
• Projects which connect developments to town services and assets
• Projects which address issues generated by developments
• Projects which provide long-term enhancement of the natural environment or contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions
CIL PROJECTS
When a project is approved for CIL expenditure, we’ll detail it here.
| PROJECT | PROMOTER | SUMMARY | TOTAL COST | CIL ALLOCATED | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladies Mile Footpath Upgrade | Knutsford Town Council | Creating a footpath from Tabley Road to the paved section of Ladies Mile. | £9,575 | £9,575 | Project Complete (June 2024) |