Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a new levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area.  The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods require to help accommodate new growth from development.  This could include new parks, schools, health centres or public realm improvements.  From 2014 - or at the point a CIL is adopted by a council (whichever is sooner) - it will replace some types of planning obligations.

Planning obligations (as secured through Section 106 agreements) will still exist after 2014, but will be more limited in how they can be used.  For example, they will still exist for affordable housing and to fund other planning obligations that cannot be secured by the CIL.  However, once CIL is adopted authorities will not be able to pool planning obligations from more than five planning obligations for infrastructure that can be funded via a CIL.

There is no agreed timetable for the adoption of a CIL in Westminster.  Further information will be made available on this page as soon as it becomes available.

A useful guide to the Community Infrastructure Levy can be found on the Planning Portal.

The Mayor of London is also empowered to charge a CIL for strategic transport and is currently proposing to charge a CIL on development for the funding of Crossrail.  Westminster City Council, as a London Borough, is required to calculate, collect and enforce the Mayoral CIL.