Skip to content

South Oxfordshire Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule

Latest News

South Oxfordshire District Council formally adopted its revised Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule on 8 December 2022. The Schedule came into effect on 3 January 2023 and replaces the CIL Charging Schedule (April 2016).

We have prepared an Adoption Statement in accordance with the CIL Regulations 2010 (as amended).

Background to the 2021/22 CIL Review

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new development in their area and came into force in April 2010. South Oxfordshire District Council is classed as a ‘charging authority’ and may charge CIL in respect of development that takes place in the district. The money raised can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure such as transport schemes, schools, community facilities, health and social care facilities, parks, green spaces and leisure facilities.

In February 2016, the Council approved its first CIL Charging Schedule, which is a document setting out the CIL rates it charges for different types of development in different parts of the district. New CIL rates then came into force on 1 April 2016.

The Council undertook a review of its 2016 Charging Schedule, to take into account the new site allocations and additional infrastructure requirements contained within the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 (which was adopted in December 2020) and legislative changes introduced by the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) (England) (No.2) Regulations 2019.

A CIL Viability Assessment underpinned this review and provided important background information on the viability of different types of development in South Oxfordshire. The findings from the assessment provided the basis for defining three new CIL charging zones across the district.

Alongside the review of our CIL Charging Schedule, the Council undertook a review of its Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), again to take into account the adoption of the Local Plan and amendments to the CIL Regulations.

Previous public consultation (February/March 2022)

Between 15 February and 22 March 2022, we carried out public consultation (under Regulation 16 of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010, as amended) and invited comments on our Draft CIL Charging Schedule and its evidence documents.

The Council considered all the representations received during the consultation period and produced a Statement of Representations document, which provided a summary of the main issues raised by respondents and detailed the Council’s response on each of these issues. Appendix 2 to the Statement provided a schedule of all comments received.

Submission for Independent Examination

On 10 June 2022, the Council formally submitted the Draft Charging Schedule (June 2022 -Submission Version, as modified) and associated evidence documents for independent Examination. This was carried out in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended).

All the Submission documents can be viewed below:

Modifications

In response to representations made during the public consultation, we made some modifications to the Draft CIL Charging Schedule and produced what is known as a Statement of Modifications, which explained how the changes relate to the comments made and who made them. In light of these modifications, the Draft CIL Charging Schedule (June 2022 -Submission Version, as modified) was the version which was subject to independent Examination.

Independent Examination

The Council appointed an independent Examiner (Mr Keith Holland BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI ARICS) to conduct the Examination and he considered the Draft CIL Charging Schedule, its associated evidence documents and all of the representations made during the consultation period.

As part of this Examination, Mr Holland conducted a virtual hearing session on Thursday 18 August 2022, which was live streamed via the Council’s YouTube channel, to enable anyone interested to follow proceedings online.

Post Hearing Modification

During the hearing session, the Council proposed a further modification to Table 1 (CIL Charges) of the Draft Charging Schedule (June 2022 version).

Shortly after the Hearing session concluded, the Examiner issued the following note in relation to the proposed modification:

‘The modification proposed by the Council at the virtual hearing session represents a significant change to the schedule previously consulted on.  Consequently, the modification will need to be subject to consultation.  I consider that it would be sufficient for the modification to be detailed on the examination website and for all those who previously made representations to be notified of the modification.  Any representation should be made in writing to the Council within 14 days for forwarding to me.  At this stage I am minded to agree with the modification subject to any written representations that are received.’   

Keith Holland
Examiner
19/08/22

Consultation on the post hearing modification ended on 7 September 2022. All representations received were forwarded to the Examiner (via the Programme Officer) for his consideration and can also be found in the CIL Examination Library.

Examiners Report

Following the virtual hearing session, the Examiner formally issued his final report, with recommendations (and reasons for those recommendations) to the Council on 30th September 2022.

The Examiner requested one modification to the Charging Schedule, which the Council duly made.

Adoption of our CIL Charging Schedule

South Oxfordshire District Council formally adopted its revised Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule and accompanying Instalment Policy on 8 December 2022. The Schedule came into effect on 3 January 2023 and replaces the CIL Charging Schedule (April 2016).

Copies of the CIL Charging Schedule, Instalment Policy and Adoption Statement have been placed at the District Council offices, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE.

Any Queries?

If you have any questions or would like further information regarding our CIL Charging Schedule, please contact the South Oxfordshire Planning Policy Team on 01235 422600 or email planning.policy@southandvale.gov.uk

Supporting documents:

Equality Impact Assessment

Data protection:

All representations submitted on the Draft Charging Schedule (including on any subsequent modifications to the draft schedule) were published on the council’s website, alongside your name (and organisation, where relevant). No other personal contact details were published.

If you made representations on the post-hearing modification, we shared your name (and organisation, where relevant) with the appointed Examiner and Programme Officer. We also shared your email (or postal address, where an email address was not provided) with just the Programme Officer. In line with the CIL Regulations, you may have been contacted by the Programme Officer (or where necessary the council) with relevant updates regarding the Examination process or other aspects of our CIL review.

For information on how the council holds, uses and stores your personal data, please refer to our planning consultations Privacy Policy. If you would like to know more about the council’s data protection registration or to find out about your personal data, please visit www.southoxon.gov.uk/dataprotection

 

Contact us - Planning policy

01235 422600
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE