Community Infrastructure Levy Quick Guide
Stage 1: Planning Application
If your application is for a type of development we charge CIL on you must include Planning Application – Additional Information Requirements Form with your application. We won’t validate your application until we receive this form.
Stage 2: Assumption of Liability
Before starting work on your development you must send us Form 1: Assumption of Liability. This form tells us who will be responsible for paying CIL. We recommend you submit it with your application. If you do not send it before you start work then the liability to pay CIL will default to the landowner and they may be surcharged. CIL liability can be transferred to another person at any time by submitting Form 4: Transfer of Assumed Liability.
Stage 3 – Applications for exemptions or relief
Any application for exemption or relief must be received before you start work on site, or you may have to pay the full amount of CIL. Forms for exemptions and relief can be found on the planning portal.
Stage 4 – After approval of planning permission
When your planning application is approved and you have submitted CIL form 1, we will issue a CIL Liability Notice. This sets out the CIL charge and when it will become due. CIL does not need to paid at this point, payment only becomes due once the development has started.
Stage 5 – Commencement
You must submit Form 6: Commencement Notice to us at least one day before you start work on your development. We will write to you to acknowledge receipt. Do not start on site until you receive this. Failure to submit a Commencement Notice may result in you losing the ability to pay the levy in instalments and you may also incur a surcharge. You may also nullify any exemption or relief from CIL.
Stage 6 – Paying CIL
Once we have your Commencement Notice we will issue an invoice (Demand Notice) to whoever assumed to pay CIL. It will set out the amount and the date when CIL needs to be paid. You will need to pay the levy from the date your development starts. When we receive a payment we will write to you to acknowledge receipt. If CIL is not paid or is paid late, we have a range of enforcement powers including surcharges, stop notices and court orders.
Stage 7 – Completion review
If you have applied for self-build relief for a whole house you must submit Form 7: Self Build Exemption Claim Form Part 2, along with the relevant evidence within 6 months of completing building work. If you do not send us this form it may result in the withdrawal of the self-build exemption relief and you may have to pay the full CIL charge. Your self-build property will be monitored for three years following the completion to ensure that it is not sold or leased. If this occurs then your self-build exemption will be withdrawn and you will have to pay the full CIL charge.