Community Infrastructure Levy Draft Charging Schedule examination

What we are being examined on

We are being examined on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule (pdf, 1.3 MB).

This sets out our justification for introducing CIL, and the CIL rates that we intend to submit to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.

Copies of the CIL Draft Charging Schedule and the relevant supporting evidence submitted to the Planning Inspectorate are available for inspection at the following locations and times:

• The Council House, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR (7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday)
• Bristol Central Library, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TL (9.30am to 5.50pm, Monday to Saturday)

The documents can also be made available by contacting the Strategic Planning Team on 0117 903 6724.

The examination

The Secretary of State has appointed Mr Nigel Payne BSc (Hons), Dip TP, MRTPI, MCMI, who is a planning inspector provided by the Planning Inspectorate, as the examiner of the Bristol CIL Draft Charging Schedule.

An examination timetable (pdf, 18 KB) has been produced as have a set of examination briefing notes (pdf, 43 KB).

Examination hearings will be held on 20 and 21 June 2012 at the Pavilion (pdf, 0.8 MB), No 1 Hannover Quay, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5JE. The hearings will commence at 1.45pm on 20 June 2012.

The Programme Officer for this examination is Robert Young, who is an impartial officer of the Examination, under the Examiner’s direction, and not an employee of the Council. All queries relating to the examination should be through Robert, who can be contacted by email at Robert.Young@bristol.gov.uk or by phone on 07906 040790.

Examination Library

The council has prepared a list of documents that form the Examination Library (pdf, 36 KB). The library contains all the submission documents but also includes national planning policy, evidence documents, and other documents which the council has had regard to in preparing the CIL Draft Charging Schedule or that the parties are likely to refer to in the examination.

Evidence base submitted to the planning inspectorate

The introduction of CIL must be supported by relevant evidence, including the following documents, which have all been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.

The Draft Charging Schedule

The Community Infrastructure Levy Draft Charging Schedule (pdf, 1.3 MB) was consulted on for a four-week period from 2 March 2012 to 30 March 2012. This sets out our justification for introducing CIL, and the CIL rates that we intend to charge.

Statement of representations procedure

Councils are required to publish a statement of representations procedure (pdf, 472 KB), which sets out how and when representations on the Draft Charging Schedule and requests to be heard at the examination must be made, confirms that persons making representations may request to appear at the examination, and allows for persons to be kept informed of the progress of the implementation of CIL.

Statement of representations received

Councils are required to produce a Regulation 19 Statement of Representations (pdf, 87 KB). This sets out the number of representations received and summarises the main issues raised in the representations.

Copies of representations received

We received a number of representations to the Draft Charging Schedule. These are contained in two documents, one containing the representation from Savills (pdf, 1.9 MB) and the other containing the remaining representations (pdf, 6.1 MB).

An up-to-date development plan

Our Core Strategy (pdf, 5.5 MB) was adopted in June 2011, making it one of the most up-to-date in the country. Policy BCS11 of the Core Strategy makes it clear that Bristol intends to introduce a CIL.

Infrastructure planning

Accompanying the Core Strategy is the Bristol Infrastructure Delivery Programme (June 2010) (pdf, 0.6 MB) which sets out the infrastructure needed to support the future growth of the City. The Infrastructure Schedule contained within the document was updated in February 2012, to take account of current circumstances and funding streams.

Funding gap analysis

A community infrastructure levy funding gap background paper (pdf, 73 KB) has been produced. This provides more detail about a number of schemes contained in the Infrastructure Schedule, and identifies a significant gap between the known levels of available funding and the costs of delivering the schemes.

An area wide assessment of CIL on the viability of development

A viability assessment into the impact of CIL (pdf, 1.7 MB) has been carried out for the Council by independent consultants BNP Paribas Real Estate. This viability has taken account of Core Strategy requirements such as the provision of affordable housing and sustainability policies.

Cabinet report on CIL

A report seeking authorisation to publish and consult on the Draft Charging Schedule was approved by the Cabinet, on 23 February 2012.

Draft regulation 123 list

Regulation 123 of the government regulations require Council's to publish a list of the infrastructure that CIL monies may be spent on (pdf, 219 KB).

The Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule

The Community Infrastructure Levy Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule (pdf, 434 KB) was consulted on for an eight-week period from 28 November 2011 to 20 January 2012.

The Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule comments and responses

We received 38 responses to the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule consultation. The comments made and the Council’s response is contained in a schedule of comments and responses (pdf, 212 KB).

Draft Planning Obligations SPD

A Draft Revision to our Planning Obligations - SPD4 (pdf, 169 KB) was consulted on at the same time as the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule, in order to provide a full and transparent picture of our proposed approach to developer contributions.