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Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from developers undertaking projects in their area to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed to support new development. It does not replace Section 106 planning obligations which continue to be used for affordable housing provision and site-specific mitigation measures which are necessary to make a planning application acceptable in planning terms.

Community Infrastructure Levy can be used to fund a wide variety of infrastructure including:

  • transport schemes;
  • flood defences;
  • schools, and community facilities; and,
  • parks, green spaces and leisure centres.

As almost all development has some impact on the need for infrastructure, services and amenities, this tariff-based approach is seen as an effective, quicker and fairer framework to fund additional infrastructure that has been identified as critical to support the level of growth planned.

CIL is applied as a charge on each square metre of floor space in new buildings, conversions or changes of use that create at least one new dwelling or extensions or annexes with a minimum threshold of 100 square metres. Some types of development are exempt, such as buildings into which people do not normally go or go only intermittently for the purpose of maintaining or inspecting machinery or temporary planning permissions. There are some types of development, for example self-build housing, extensions, annexes and social housing, for which relief may be claimed.

Rates of CIL are set out in a document known as a 'charging schedule'. A charging schedule sets out a rate per square metre for all qualifying development.

CIL payments must be index linked from the year that CIL was introduced to the year that the planning permission is granted. Between the 2nd and the 31st December the Council are required to publish an annual ‘CIL Rate Summary Statement’ which sets out how indexation will affect all CIL chargeable development permitted in the following calendar year. Follow this CIL Rate Summary Statement 2023 (PDF, 225.5 KB) to see the charging schedule which will apply from 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023 in Gloucester.

The council began charging the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) on planning permissions granted from the 1st January 2019. Applicants for planning permission for any extension or annexe of over 100 sqm gross internal floor area or new dwelling, conversion or change of use creating a new dwelling of any size should complete the CIL Additional Information Form and submit it alongside their application for planning permission.

Further information

Further information on CIL is available on both the Planning Portal Website, the CIL page on our website and an archive of Consultation, Examination and supporting evidence that has informed the preparation of the charges can be found on the JCS website.

Our CIL Funding webpage explains how CIL income may be spent and our CIL Information for Parish Councils webpage provides help and guidance for Parishes on CIL, what they are entitled to receive, what the rules are on spending and what they are required to do to report on spending.