Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

What is it?

The Developer Contributions SPD sets out the contributions required from new development towards infrastructure, affordable housing and the Thames Basin Heaths mitigation. The SPD sets out the Council's approach to the use of both planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a new approach to pooling developer contributions introduced in April 2010. The proposed rates of CIL to be charged will be set out in a separate CIL Charging Schedule, which will eventually form an addendum to the SPD. Further information can be found on our dedicated |CIL web page.

The documents will support |Core Strategy policies CS21: Affordable Housing, CS13: Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA), CS16: Social and Community Infrastructure and CS28: Implementation and Delivery.

Why is it needed?

The document will ensure that the cumulative impacts of new development on local infrastructure and Thames Basin Heaths are addressed and support the delivery of affordable housing. By setting out all contributions in a single document the Council is also seeking to make the process of collecting developer contributions more transparent. Both developers and residents will be able to easily find out all the costs placed on development by the Council.

Progress to date

In Autumn 2011 we consulted on the Draft Developer Contributions SPD. Comments on the draft SPD were taken into account in preparing the final SPD, which was adopted by Council on 18 April 2012.

• |Developer Contributions SPD
• |Adoption Statement
• |Consultation Statement
• |Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening Report
• |Determination Statement under Article 9

We consulted on the CIL Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule alongside the SPD in Autumn 2011. A Draft Charging Schedule has now been prepared. It has been published on 23 April 2012 for a further four week consultation prior to submission for independent examination in May 2012. It is expected that the examination will be held in the Summer of 2012 with adoption, subject to the outcomes of the examination, in the Autumn. The final Charging Schedule will form an Addendum to the SPD. Visit our dedicated |CIL web page for more information.

How will the SPD be applied?

The Developer Contributions SPD will apply to all decisions made on planning applications from 19 April 2012 subject to the following transitional arrangements that will remain in place until the adoption of the CIL Charging Schedule.

|Planning Obligations and Infrastructure SPD - a tariff-based system of collecting contributions through planning obligations from new development towards infrastructure adopted in 2008. From 2014, we will no longer be able to use planning obligations to secure contributions in this way. The tariffs in this document will continue to apply until the CIL Charging Schedule is adopted.

|CS21: Affordable Housing - Procedural Guidance - our procedural guidance on affordable housing was adopted in August 2011. This was not subject to consultation and was intended only as a guide to assist applicants in making planning applications where affordable housing is a requirement. The new SPD replaces this guidance.

|Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Interim Mitigation Strategy for Elmbridge - this was adopted in 2007. The document was only intended to have a lifespan of 5 years and needed to be updated to reflect current practise. The Strategic Access Management and Monitoring tariff in the new SPD replaces Addendum 1 of the Interim Strategy. However, the Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) tariff in Addendum 2 of the Interim Strategy will continue to apply until the CIL Charging Schedule is adopted - |Addendum 2 - SANG tariff.

What is required when submitting a planning application?

To assist applicants in meeting the requirements of the SPD we have produced a draft template of a Unilateral Undertaking for guidance and a Planning Contributions Charge Sheet which allows applicants to calculate the infrastructure contributions required as well as affordable housing and Thames Basin Heaths contributions. These documents are a l|ocal validation requirement and should be submitted with a planning application as confirmation of the applicants willingness to enter into an Obligation. The documents currently reflect the interim arrangements set out above.