Community Infrastructure Levy

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge placed on development, such as new homes and extensions to homes, according to their floor area.

You will need to pay CIL if you are:

• creating a new dwelling or residential annex (of any size)
• increasing the gross internal floor area by 100 square metres or more

If you are a building your own home, extending your home or building a residential annex within the grounds of your own home you may be able to apply for an exemption from paying CIL.

The CIL process begins when you submit a planning application. 

If you need to pay CIL, you can follow a step-by-step guide and download all relevant forms on our Community Infrastructure Levy Process page.

If your development consists of one or more new dwellings in European nature conservation areas within New Forest, you will have to pay a financial contribution.

Calculate your CIL charge

The CIL charge for all residential development for 2023, including sheltered housing and extensions, is payable at a rate of £109.23 per square metre (rounded). The formula to calculate this is index-linked and published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). 

Please note that this figure will apply to any application granted permission after 1 January 2023, regardless of when it was submitted.

To find out how much you will need to pay, use our CIL Online Calculator. 

CIL online calculator

You can download our CIL Charging Schedule below. This explains the methods used to calculate the CIL and the rates within New Forest.

Note: this document features the 2015 CIL rate of £80 per square metre, not the current rate of £102.15 per square metre (rounded) which is calculated at the 2022 index rate. 

CIL charging schedule (PDF) [277KB] (opens new window)

Calculating chargeable floorspace

The chargeable floorspace is measured as the gross internal area (GIA) of the property. This is per floor and includes all buildings, including garages.

We have set out information on what elements of a build is included in the GIA and more information can be found in a guidance document on the RICS website called Code of Measuring Practice.

What is included to calculate GIA

Using your existing floorspace

Existing floorspace is not taken into account when determining CIL liability. It is possible to receive a reduction on your CIL charge, if the existing floorspace has been in continuous lawful use for six months in the three-year period to when permission is granted.

It is your responsibility to provide evidence to demonstrate the continuous lawful use. To demonstrate this, you can submit a combination of the following:

• copies of leases
• electricity or gas bills for the six-month period
• business rates or council tax bills and payments
• redacted bank statements to show paid rent (where an informal arrangement exists)
• confirmation from a letting agent or solicitor advising of the period of occupancy
• an affidavit

We will require further evidence of continuous use if it is not evident from the information supplied. We will not consider the existing floor area as deductible floor area unless the applicant demonstrates this.

We have also published further information on when an existing building meets the lawful use definition.

CIL and permitted development

Community Infrastructure Levy Development commenced under general consent is liable to pay CIL. 'General consent' includes permitted development rights granted under the The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).

If you intend to commence development under general consent you must submit a Notice of Chargeable Development (Form 5 - Notice of chargeable development) to us before you commence this development.

The only exception to this requirement to submit a Notice of Chargeable Development is if the development in question is less than 100 square metres of net additional 'gross internal area'. If the development meets this requirement a Notice of Chargeable Development does not have to be submitted before the commencement of development. 

Further information is available below:

Information on CIL and permitted development

Appealing during the CIL process

Appeals can be lodged against some aspects of the CIL charge. The full range of available appeals are detailed in the document below.

CIL appeals guidance (PDF) [193KB] (opens new window)

If you disagree with the CIL liability calculated in the Liability Notice, you can request a review under Regulation 113 of the CIL Regulations. The review must be requested before the end of 28 days, beginning on the day on which the Liability Notice was issued.

When you need to pay

CIL payments are due when you start your development. You will need to complete and send us a commencement notice so we know when work is starting. From the Planning Portal website, you can download a commencement notice below.

 Form 6: CIL commencement notice 

Once you have completed this form, you can send it to the Planning team at any council office or email it to planning@nfdc.gov.uk.

We will then send you a demand notice. This has details on who is liable for payment and the amount payable, including any reliefs or surcharges.

The demand notice will also tell you the dates on which payments are due and whether you can appeal. You can find out more by downloading our Instalment Policy document below.

CIL Instalment Policy (PDF) [104KB] (opens new window)

We may consider requests for part or full payment of the CIL by the provision of land or infrastructure. You can find out more by downloading our Payment in Kind Policy document below.

CIL payment in kind policy (PDF) [104KB] (opens new window)

If you are intending to apply for relief from CIL then this must be applied before any works commence on site.  We cannot process requests for relief retrospectively after commencement.  We will acknowledge receipt of exemption form and the commencement notice.

Monitoring of CIL

The money collected by CIL is divided into three areas:

• strategic spending
• Parish or Town Council spending: 15% capped at £100 per dwelling or 25% uncapped if a neighbourhood development plan is in place.
• administrative costs, 5%

The strategic spending CIL collection needs to fund infrastructure that supports development in the district. Our Infrastructure Delivery Plan has identified infrastructure projects that are required to deliver development up to 2036.

We are required to publish an Infrastructure Funding Statement annually which sets out the amount of money we have received through both S106 and CIL together with the projects this has delivered, you can view our  infrastructure funding statement.   

Parish and Town Council's are also required to publish a monitoring report and these are available to view below

View Parish and Town Monitoring reports