By Cllr Jason Brock
Community Infrastructure Levy feels like a name designed in some Government committee so as to inspire disengagement… perhaps it was.
But when you read the detail, you begin to appreciate the difference it makes to the lives of individuals and to our communities.
More commonly known as CIL – and pronounced like the ‘sill’ on your windows – is, put simply, a charge which is applied by the Council to new developments in Reading and paid by developers as part of the conditions attached to the grant of new planning permissions.
The majority of the money raised goes towards strategic infrastructure in Reading to compensate for the impacts of development – so things like schools, health services, highways, community facilities, leisure and open spaces.
But 15% is ringfenced for local schemes that improve residents’ day-to-day experiences.
As local Councillors, we are often asked by residents what is in it for them when a development goes up at the end of their road. It’s a fair question.
Most developers (although not all) generally build things for profit. They do not need to have any connection to the area they submit planning applications for and, consequently, there’s no real social responsibility required. That’s where the Council comes in.
As a planning authority, it is the Council’s job to ensure developments do not cause harm to our communities. We do not own the private land many of these planning applications are submitted for, but through our planning policies we can look to protect local neighbourhoods from developments which are ill-thought out and would have a detrimental effect.
It is important to remember the Council can only refuse a planning application on sound planning grounds, and not just because we don’t like it. Such refusals would likely be successfully challenged by developers at the appeal stage (which is determined by Government Planning Inspectors) and ultimately result in the Council having less control over the development.
Where planning permissions are granted, however, we apply the CIL charge. Last month, the Council reported that over the past five years or so we have collected £4.5 million worth of Local CIL funding and used it to invest in 61 local projects across Reading.
For our parks and open spaces, there have been playground refurbishments and improvements at Ivydene, Avon Place, Cintra Park, Prospect Park, Waterloo Meadows, Arthur Newbery Park, Oxford Road Rec, Dover Street, Moriston Close and Palmer Park. An outdoor gym has been installed at Coley Rec and improvements made at Long Barn Rec and Shinfield Road Rec. A new skate park is coming to John Rabson Rec.
On our roads, we’ve got new Zebra crossings at Gosbrook Road and Ridgeway School as well as new pedestrian crossings at Addington Road, Church End Lane, Oxford Road and Overdown Road. Local CIL funded the 20mph schemes at Reading Girls School, Brunswick Street and Western Road, speed reduction schemes in Southcote Road and Westcote Road, and enforcement of the 20mph zone in Redlands ward. It’s also provided the funds for investment in the Thames cycle path on Kings Meadow
Maintenance of some of Reading’s treasured statues or pieces of public art will also be funded from these developer payments, including the refurbishment of our Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens and the repair and reinstatement of our famous Cartwheeling Boys, which was toppled and damaged when Storm Eunice blew in February.
Almost complete is the refurbishment of Dog Fountain outside St Laurence’s Church.
Not all schemes are simply ‘one-offs’, either – CIL has funded some of the High Street Heritage Action Zone work on the Oxford Road, which includes community engagement activity, as well as a Borough-wide graffiti removal project (which is now being renewed).
And then there are smaller community projects, which may not amount to much financially but make a big difference to the communities they benefit. In my own patch in Southcote, a new fridge freezer for Southcote Community Centre, or the new laptops bought for Coley Community Centre.
I hope you agree it’s an impressive list, and that isn’t even all of them.
It’s important for people to know that the allocation process for CIL monies include projects nominated by local residents and community groups, as well as local Councillors and officers. They obviously cannot all be funded but, as local Councillors, we are always keen to hear from the public about local projects which could benefit. People can contact their local Councillors with suggestions so these can be considered in the future against the CIL funding available.
Cllr Jason Brock is the leader of Reading Borough Council and Labour ward member for Southcote
