The Council launched a consultation on its DCS last week. It has proposed to split its administrative area into five residential zones with CIL rates ranging up to £100 per square metre. The proposed residential rates are a nil-rate in Zone 1; £20 per sq m in Zone 2; £50 per sq m in Zone 3; £75 per sq m in Zone 4 and £100 per sq m in Zone 5.
The proposed zone boundaries vary according to whether the development comprises open market or retirement housing and whether it provides less than 25% affordable housing or provides 25% or more affordable housing.
All types of retail development within the Merry Hill and Waterfront area are subject to a draft nil rate levy if they are part of a mixed-use development which triggers a policy in the Council's Core Strategy requiring infrastructure to be delivered through legal agreements rather than CIL.
For developments in the Merry Hill and Waterfront area which do not fall under this policy, a proposed rate of £100 per sq m has been set for both convenience and comparison over 100 sq m and a rate of £95 per sq m has been set for public houses, restaurants and hot food takeaway uses. The same proposed rates will apply across the rest of the borough.
A borough-wide nil rate levy has been proposed to apply to all other types of development.
The consultation is open for responses until 25 April.
