Key Facts

• Amendment 162 aims to consider economic viability in the area as a whole during rate-setting.
• Amendment 163 seeks to leave out 'or require' regarding nil rates, differential rates, reductions.
• Amendment 164 also leaves out 'or require' to prevent Secretary of State from imposing minimum thresholds.
• Amendment 162 would clarify that charging authorities will not be expected to test every development site in their area.
• Amendments 163 and 164 aim to prevent the Secretary of State from overriding locally determined IL rates, thresholds or nil rates.
• The amendments seek to avoid scenarios where local IL rates developed by charging authorities are overridden by the Secretary of State.
• Proposed new section 204A(2) ensures that costs incurred can be funded without making development economically unviable.
• Amendment 163 would prevent the Secretary of State from requiring differential rates, but the Minister believes this is necessary for coherence and consistency in capturing value uplift.
• The approach to nil and reduced rates has precedent in existing developer contributions systems.
• Amendment proposes a sliding scale of charges increasing in proportion to the share of the development that is on greenfield land.
• Aim is to promote brownfield development.
• This amendment aims to prevent extremely dense development in urban centres with an undersupply of open space.
• York has the largest brownfield site in the country adjacent to the station.
• The development of the York Central site has led to increased traffic congestion on the west side of the city.
• In Tang Hall, a former refuse site was turned into St Nicks environment centre for community wellbeing projects.
• Clifton, an area with significant deprivation, has less green space compared to other parts of York.
• The amendment aims to encourage developers to consider brownfield sites for housing developments.
• Buckinghamshire Council plans substantial greenfield development, covering 335 square miles with 90% as agricultural land.
• Haddenham is currently experiencing new housing estate construction on greenfield land.
• The Government provides £550 million through the brownfield housing fund and £75 million through the brownfield land release fund.
• Proposed new section 204G(5) and (8) in schedule 11 allows local planning authorities to set different levy rates for various kinds of development.
• The Minister supports a policy-driven approach over a formulaic algorithm for setting IL rates.
• Amendment covers roads, transport, flood defences, schools, medical facilities, sporting/recreational facilities, open spaces, affordable housing, emergency services, natural environment preservation/enjoyment, energy generation space, business incubation space, cultural/community buildings, and day centres.
• Proposed new section 204N(3)(i) highlights the importance of allotments for mental and physical health.
• York has 1,500 people on a waiting list for 1,350 allotment spaces.
• The Minister for Faith is addressing concerns about the flexibility of the infrastructure levy.
• Local authorities can use the levy on infrastructure not explicitly listed in the Bill.
• Energy generation, allotments, and community facilities are included within the definition of infrastructure.
• Proposed new sections enable the Government to require reviews of charging schedules if significant time has passed since last review.
• Future IL regulations may make unspecified provisions about how existing powers, including CIL and section 106 planning obligations, are to be used or not.
• The amendment aims to prevent future IL regulations from making unspecified provisions about the use of section 106 agreements.
• Clause 114 amends section 14 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.
• The amendment allows the Homes and Communities Agency to act as a charging authority when designated as a local planning authority.
• Without this clause, the levy may not function effectively in areas where Homes England is the local planning authority.