Hammersmith & Fulham publishes proposed Community Infrastructure Levy rates

The Borough has proposed to create four different zones across the borough which will each attract a different rate for residential development, ranging from £400 per square metre to £100 per sq m. 

The PDCS has proposed (30-pages / 2.5MB PDF) a charge of £400 per sq m of residential development located in the south of the Borough, the 'South Zone', a levy of £200 per sq m for residential development in both Hammersmith town centre, called the 'Central A' zone and outside Hammersmith town centre, which is called the 'Central B' zone. A levy of £100 per sq m of residential development is proposed for development in the north of the Borough, the 'North Zone'.

"Due to its prime location on the edge of central London the performance of the housing market has been exceptionally strong," the LBHF CIL viability Study said (43-pages / 8MB PDF). "As a consequence, Hammersmith and Fulham remains of prime interest to developers and investors as the SW postcode sharply contradicts the national trend of either stagnant or declining house price growth."

The PDCS is open for a six week consultation from today, which will close on 19 October 2012. "Representations will be considered and summarised in publishing the next stage, the Draft Charging Schedule, in due course," the Council said. 

"The CIL PDCS represents the first stage of public consultation in the process that will lead to the introduction of CIL charges for most new development in the Borough in order to fund infrastructure that is needed to support development in the area," it said. 

The Council has proposed to levy a zero rate CIL charge for all development with health, industrial, education or warehousing uses. The PDCS has defined 'health development' as "development used wholly or mainly for the provision of any medical or health services except the use of premises attached to the residence of the consultant or practitioner."

Education uses is defined as "development used wholly or mainly for the provision of education as a school or college under the Education Acts or as an institution of higher education," the PDCS said.  

The Council's proposed CIL charging rates will be levied in addition to the Mayor of London's CIL, which is levied to contribute to the cost of Crossrail. LBHF collects the Mayoral CIL on behalf of the Mayor of London at £50 per sq m for all uses, except education and health uses which are levied at £0 per sq m of development.

The Council plans to publish its Draft Charging Schedule for consultation this winter and hopes to submit it for examination next spring. Implementation of CIL is planned for the summer of 2013.