Out-Law News 1 min. read
10 Aug 2012, 4:23 pm
The Council had proposed a levy of £250 per square metre for large supermarkets in Mid Devon in its Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule, but this has been reduced to a zero rate for all retail in its revised Draft Charging Schedule. It has also revised its proposed levy for residential development.
The Council had conducted a viability study for non-residential development, which found that major retail was the only development that would still be viable if a CIL charge was implemented. All other forms of non-residential development would not be viable if a CIL charge of any level was implemented, the study found.
However, following strong opposition to the imposition of a levy on "large retail", the Council opted to drop the levy, in its latest Draft Charging Schedule.
"After considering the use of a threshold to limit CIL to larger retail developments the Council concluded that the current economic situation did not justify a partial imposition of a CIL charge," the Council said.
The Council's Draft Charging Schedule also proposed to reduce the levy on residential development from £113 per sq m to £90 per sq m, which the Council said "is viable and still allows for average affordable housing provision to exceed recent average levels".
"With the average size of new houses being 88 sq m, an average house will lead to a contribution of just under £8,000," said Peter Williams, the Council's forward planning team leader. "A meaningful proportion of each contribution will be given to town and parish councils."
The consultation on the Council's Draft Charging Schedule is open until 20 August.
All representations will be considered through a public examination by a Planning Inspector and, if the Inspector finds the Draft Charging Schedule sound, the Council plans to implement CIL in January 2013.
