Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge that local authorities can set on new development in order to raise funds to help fund the infrastructure, facilities and services - such as schools or transport improvements which are needed to support new homes and businesses in the area.

Section 106 legal agreements will continue to be used alongside CIL to secure on-site infrastructure and things that are not infrastructure, such as affordable housing.

We have produced a CIL guidance note to explain how the process will work in West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland. We have also prepared a process chart to show a simplified version of the CIL process for development which is liable for a CIL charge.

In addition more information about the CIL regulations are available on the planning practice guidance web pages.

From the 19 November 2018 we will be applying a new indexation rate of 1.20 to all CIL charges in West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland. Please see more information in applying the indexation in the CIL charge section.

CIL Liability Notices Issued in West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland

The interactive map is temporarily unavailable. For information on this please contact the CIL team. 

Adopted CIL charging schedules

There are two separate charging schedules, one for West Dorset and one for Weymouth and Portland. The former West Dorset District Council CIL charging schedule was adopted on 22 October 2015 and the Weymouth & Portland CIL charging schedule was adopted on 15 October 2015. Each charging schedule sets the rate (based on £/sq.m.) at which CIL will be charged for different types of development.

• West Dorset CIL Charging Schedule
• Weymouth and Portland CIL Charging Schedule

What types of development require a CIL payment?

The adopted charging schedules only apply a CIL rate on proposals that create a dwelling and/or a dwelling with restricted holiday use. Affordable dwellings and essential rural workers' dwellings are excluded from a CIL charge.

All other development types are therefore set a £0 per square metre CIL rate.

What are the CIL rates and how is it calculated?

The CIL charging schedules set three different rates depending on which part of the two districts the development site is in. The rates when CIL was implemented in July 2016 were:

• West Dorset - £100 per square metre
• Weymouth - £93 per square metre
• Portland - £80 per square metre

A map of the current CIL charging areas has also been produced. If having looked at the map if you are still unsure about which charging area your site is located in then please contact us. 

A further explanation of the CIL calculation process, including what floor space should and should not be included, can be found on pages 6-12 of our CIL guidance note.

Applying indexation to a CIL charge

The CIL regulations require local authorities to apply an index of inflation to keep the levy responsive to market conditions. The index we have to use is the national All-In Tender Price Index of construction costs published by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

CIL payments are index linked from the year that CIL was introduced to the year that planning permissions are granted

The index rate for the current year in which planning permissions are being granted (2018/19) is 324 and the index rate in the year in which the charging schedule was implemented (2016) was 271. The indexation rate is calculated by dividing the first figure by the second one - 324/271 = 1.20 (For reference under the CIL Regulations the index rate is taken from the November (Q4) of the previous year to the April).

We will be applying a new indexation rate of 1.20 to all CIL liable planning applications approved in West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland from the 19 November 2018 onwards.

When do I pay CIL and is there an instalment policy?

CIL is payable upon commencement of development. Any CIL payment up to £60,000 has to be paid in full within 60 days of commencement of development, and any CIL payments greater than £60,000 can be paid in three instalments with full payment due 540 days from commencement of development. This is laid out in further detail in our adopted instalment policy.

What forms do I need to submit and when?

The CIL Regulations set out a clear statutory process for the collection of CIL that both applicants and planning authorities must follow. This process requires the submission of a number of standard forms by the applicant and the issue of a number of statutory notices by us. For an overview of each form and when it should be submitted please see:

• Planning Portal - What CIL forms to submit
• CIL guidance note - pages 13-15

What if I think the CIL charge for my development is incorrect?

Please contact us at  cilteamb@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk with 'CIL Review' followed by your planning application number in the subject box to discuss this with us. To find out how to formally appeal against your CIL charge please see page 20 of our CIL guidance note.

What if I don't pay or follow the correct steps in the CIL process?

Where the CIL payment procedure is not followed correctly there are a number of provisions that enable the application of surcharges and ensure the effective enforcement to recover CIL monies once there is a delay within the collection process. Page 17 of our CIL guidance note provides details about when surcharges and enforcement procedures can be applied.

Can I claim relief from paying CIL?

In most cases CIL will be a fixed non-negotiable charge on development. However there are some forms of relief and exemptions available to give relief from paying the CIL charge. Further information regarding these can be found on pages 18-19 of our CIL guidance note and additional information can be found on the Planning Practice Guidance website.

We have also produced a note to provide more information about CIL relief for self build and custom build projects.