What is the Community Infrastructure Levy?

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)  is a levy raised on development schemes (new buildings such as housing, hotels or shops).

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The money is used by the council to fund local infrastructure projects.

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It’s just one of the ways in which developments can benefit the local community and one of the ways in which developers can give-back to the community - especially to those who've been impacted by the building works (such as neighbours who had to put-up with noise or temporary road closures).

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Southwark has raised roughly £23m in CIL since 2015. 25 per cent of this - almost £6m - has been designated as local (neighbourhood) CIL and is now available to spend on community projects that can be completed by 31 December 2023.

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Living Bankside and CIL

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Prior to the local elections in May 2018 no process was in place to distribute the 25 per cent of local (neighbourhood) CIL. Living Bankside campaigned to ensure that a transparent and effective process was in place to ensure Neighbourhood CIL was being allocated to benefit local people. 

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Living Bankside was successful in its campaign and received a commitment with the then Leader of Southwark Council and subsequently worked with council officers to produce a process for distributing Neighbourhood CIL. 

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https://southwarkcil.commonplace.is

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What can the money be spent on?

 

The money can be spent on one-off projects that will benefit the local community such as refurbishing a community centre or installing new play equipment in a park. 

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One project which recently benefited from CIL was Surrey Docks Farm.

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The farm used money raised from the levy on a housing development nearby at Odessa Street to refurbish their Tower Building so that it could be used by the local community for meetings, workshops and classes.

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