A criticism often levelled at governments is that policy formulation does not look beyond the short-term and so when something of a long-term, potentially transformative nature is mooted it is only right that it be given fair consideration. Such is the case with the Infrastructure Levy (IL), the framework for which is included in the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill, and which proposes to replace the current system of developer contributions with a mandatory, “more streamlined”, locally-determined levy. As was pointed out in many of the responses to the consultation on the technical aspects of the levy, the development industry is entirely sympathetic to efforts to both optimise and streamline developer contributions through the planning system, but, alongside an unprecedented coalition of cross sector partners, raised a number of concerns about the IL proposals. Firstly, the levy would further diminish the ability to draw a direct line between new development and the benefits that...
Hello. My name is Sam, I am a Town Planner and I sometimes write about town planning-related things (in my own time and as an expression of my own opinions). I used to podcast, there is a link to that on this page somewhere, and I circulate a newsletter from time to time. There is a link to that somewhere as well. Should you be so inclined, I am on Bluesky (@samuelstafford.bsky.social) and Instagram (@samuel__stafford).