Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local authority finances of the proposed delay in the collection of the Community Infrastructure Levy until a building is in occupation.

The Government’s White Paper, Planning for the Future proposes that a new ‘Infrastructure Levy’ will replace section 106 planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy and be set in a way which delivers at least as much - if not more - onsite affordable housing than at present. It also proposes that the Levy will be payable on the completion of development. To better support the timely delivery of infrastructure, local authorities would be allowed to borrow against Infrastructure Levy revenues so that they could forward fund infrastructure.

The consultation on ‘Planning for the Future’ closed on 29 October. We are analysing the consultation feedback thoroughly and holding meetings with industry and local authority representatives to understand the impacts of our proposals. We will respond formally in due course.