FAQs

CIL is a planning charge introduced by the Planning Act 2008, as a tool for local authorities in England and Wales to help deliver infrastructure, facilities and services needed to support the development of their area. 

CIL levies contribute to the provision of infrastructure or refurbishment of existing infrastructure to support the additional burden new development makes on both local and strategic infrastructure. For example, CIL levies collected in Croydon helps to pay for roads and transport, schools, greening, improvements to public spaces, regeneration of the Croydon Town Centre and district centres and much more.

Croydon Council is the local council responsible for managing planning in the borough. We set the CIL charges for some types of developments which developers and landowners are required to pay for, in line with the  Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended). Some developments may be eligible for relief or exemption from the levy. 

We also collect the Mayoral CIL (MCIL) on behalf of the Mayor of London to help fund strategic infrastructure such as Crossrail construction projects. 

More information on CIL and the adopted charging rates can be found on our CIL and Section 106 webpage.

Planning authorities must review their CIL charges periodically and make sure that they are still appropriate. The CIL charges should take into account changes in market conditions, development viability and other factors to support the delivery of infrastructure provision needed in the local community.

The current CIL charges were adopted in 2013. Council engaged specialist consultants, BNP Paribas to undertake a viability study to review the current CIL rates alongside the Croydon Local Plan 2018, the emerging local plan policy documents tested against current development viability. 

The viability study recommended that some of the rates should be increased to reflect changes to land values and the need for additional infrastructure and community facilities across the borough to support the growing population in Croydon. This study showed that the proposed rates would not undermine the deliverability of the emerging local plan. It also demonstrated that the proposed increase to the CIL charges and the Council's flexible approach to applying policy requirements will ensure an appropriate balance between delivering affordable housing, sustainability objectives, necessary infrastructure and development. 

Council is required to adhere to the provisions of Part 11 of the Planning Act 2008 (The Act) (as amended by the Localism Act 2011) when introducing a Community Infrastructure Levy in its local area. Section 211 of the Act sets out the governing provisions for determining the amount of CIL to be charged, through the production of a ‘Charging Schedule’ in accordance with further regulations published by the Secretary of State. 

The Act also outlines the key requirements for the publication and examination of a Charging Schedule under the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) (The Regulations). Part 3 of The Regulations sets out the scope and procedures of draft charging schedules including the requirements at the publication, consultation, examination and approval stage. 

Comments received in response to this consultation on the CIL Draft Charging Schedule will be considered and, if required, the schedule will be amended if appropriate.

A finalised CIL Draft Charging Schedule, along with the evidence base and representations received, will be submitted to the Examiner for independent examination. 

Following the examination, the Examiner will publish a report setting out the findings and recommendations on the proposed changes to the CIL charging rates. Necessary modifications will then be made to finalise the proposed charging schedule. The final charging schedule will be reported at future Council meeting to decide whether to adopt the revised CIL rates or not.