Norfolk County Council is shelving a proposed charge on new developments designed to bridge a funding shortfall for transport schemes to support housing growth.
This follows concern that the proposed county-wide ‘standard transport charge’ would undermine the delivery of both private sector and affordable housing in the county, given the decline in the property market.
Norfolk’s cabinet was advised that the economics of the charge ‘need to be tested’, given the reductions in turnover and profit in the building industry.
Officers also highlighted the Government’s expectation that local development frameworks would provide for the delivery of ‘a wide range of infrastructure’, including education, open space and library provision.
Norfolk will not wait for detailed guidance on the Government’s proposed community infrastructure levy, but instead develop more tailored charges.
District councils were concerned the standard charge levied on developments in their areas would be diverted elsewhere in Norfolk. More specific charges would allow ‘specific infrastructure requirements to be addressed within each district’. The Government is keen to allow councils to decide the level of infrastructure-related charge per unit, but does not want to provide councils with ‘a blank cheque’ (Surveyor, 7 August).
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