Plans to charge developers more money if they want to build in some parts of Calderdale

Developers have often paid sums of money to councils through legal agreements – known as section 106 agreements – if it is deemed they are necessary when new homes are built.

Agreements can cover infrastructure costs developments might bring, for example, new schools or surgeries.

The agreements usually apply to the area of a new development but a different charge – Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) will apply to new homes and can be used to meet need in any part of the borough, senior Calderdale councillors heard at a recent meeting.

Cabinet member for Climate Action and Housing, Coun Scott Patient, said the CIL is intended to be the primary method of collecting non-site specific contributions for development or use of land.

“Just to reiterate, it is the developers that pay this cost, it’s a well-established mechanism that’s being done across the country,” he said.

“CIL funds are collected by the council and they’re placed into a central pot that we can then use to flexibly address infrastructure issues across the borough.”

Coun Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said Calderdale’s initial CIL proposals were submitted to Government alongside the Local Plan in 2019.

But with examination, consideration and then approval of the Local Plan - which will shape where new homes might be built into the 2030s - being such a lengthy process, the authority decided to update the documents and put them out to consultation again ahead of resubmission to Government, he said.

The charging schedule includes rates which will apply to land on which new homes will be built over nine different zones covering each part of Calderdale.

Zonal charges levied per square metre for greenfield and brownfield sites respectively are listed after each zone:

Zone 1 takes in Hebden Bridge and Charlestown (£50 greenfield, £0 brownfield)

Zone 2 Todmorden, Walsden and Cornholme (£25, £0)

Zone 3 Mytholmroyd, Sowerby Bridge, Illingworth, Luddenden Foot and Luddenden (£0, £0)

Zone 4 Ripponden, Rishworth and Barkisland (£50, £0)

Zone 5 Elland, Greetland, Holywell Green and Stainland (£25, £0)

Zone 6 Northowram, Shelf and Norwood Green (£50, £0)

Zone 7 Southern Halifax, Savile Park and Siddal (£0, £0)

Zone 8 Brighouse, Rastrick, Clifton, Southowram and Hipperholme (£25, £0)

Zone 9 Bulk of Halifax including Wheatley, Ovenden, Boothtown and Mixenden (£0, £0).

Residential institutions and care homes will pay £60 per square metre for both greenfield and brownfield sites but all other uses will have a £0 levy, if the charging schedule is eventually approved and adopted.

Coun Patient asked cabinet colleagues to approve sending out the draft charging schedule to consultation for a minimum of six weeks.

Results will then be submitted to the full council, who will be asked to approve sending the schedule for national approval.

Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot), said: “It’s making it very clear – if you come to Calderdale and you want to build, this is the contract.”