CIL in Swindon

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge on some types of development.

We use CIL money to help pay for facilities and services needed to support planned development and growth in Swindon. As the CIL charging authority, we collect CIL from eligible new development in the borough.

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Adopted Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule

The adopted CIL charging schedule came into effect on 6 April 2015.

All relevant development may be considered for CIL. This includes, but is not limited to, planning applications decided on or after 6 April 2015.

CIL may also apply to some decisions made under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order before this date. It may also apply where works were allowed by default permission.

The charging schedule was adopted by the council on 26 March 2015. Cabinet recommended it for adoption on 18 March 2015.

This followed an independent examination on 4 November 2014. The CIL examination final report was published in February 2015. The requirements of the final report are included in the adopted charging schedule.

The adopted charging schedule is one of the adopted documents that supports how we manage CIL.

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Adopted CIL documents

The adopted CIL documents are:

• CIL charging schedule (PDF)
• CIL surcharges policy (PDF)
• Adopted CIL payment by instalment policy (PDF)

The CIL surcharges policy brings together the relevant regulations about:

• when surcharges may apply
• when surcharges must apply
• when late payment interest must apply

As the CIL charging authority for Swindon, we apply non-mandatory financial penalties by default.

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Annual CIL rate summary and indexation

The rates in the CIL charging schedule are index-linked, as required by CIL regulations.

From 1 September 2019, we must publish indexed rates in an annual CIL rate summary before the start of each new indexation year.

The annual CIL rate summary also gives informal advice on:

• when we are likely to issue a CIL liability notice
• when planning permission first permits development for CIL purposes

Read the CIL annual rate summary (PDF) for more information about how indexation may affect development that receives a CIL liability notice.

The rates in the adopted charging schedule, as published, were only used to calculate CIL liability until 31 December 2015.

Indexation was first applied to the rates in the adopted CIL charging schedule on 1 January 2016. It is then applied every year on 1 January.

When indexation is applied to the base CIL rate, the rate may:

• increase
• decrease
• stay the same

The actual CIL rate is produced when we calculate the CIL liability.

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Regulation 123 list

Regulation 123 of the CIL Regulations was deleted by the CIL Amendment Regulations 2019 2 SI 2019 1103.

The Regulation 123 list previously showed what would not be secured through section 106 planning obligations.

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Discretionary relief from CIL

CIL discretionary relief is not available for:

• charities
• social housing
• exceptional circumstances

You can read more about discretionary relief and how it could relate to development proposals if it were made available on the discretionary relief from CIL liability page.

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CIL calculator

The CIL calculator gives an indication of the potential CIL charge for development where planning permission first permits development in the selected year.

It uses the CIL rates set in Swindon’s CIL charging schedule.

The calculator does not show the final CIL liability. It is not legal advice.

We will formally calculate the CIL chargeable amount using our own measurements of the approved plan drawings. We will issue a liability notice at the appropriate time, in line with the regulations.