Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development introduced the report and outlined the requirement for the Council to allocate strategic CIL monies to the infrastructure needed to support the development of the areas as  set out in the  adopted Local Plan.

Infrastructure providers were invited to submit bids during a consultation process between 3 May 2022 to 15 July 2022. A total of 22 bids were received, which had then been appraised by the relevant Officers and moderated by an external consultancy. The four schemes put forward were outlined. 

Several Committee Members expressed that bids for other highway improvement schemes should have been submitted, such as for the Fountain Lane/A26 junction, Baker Street and Hart Street improvement schemes. In response, the Head of Development Management confirmed that the Council had engaged with infrastructure providers, including Kent County Council, in advance of the bids’ opening. There were no detailed plans for the Fountain Lane/A26 junction improvement scheme, and the Council could only consider the bids received.  The Head of Development Management reiterated the bids suitability with reference made to the Council’s adopted Local Plan monitoring indicators. The Chief Executive further advised on the bids’ alignment with the Council’s strategic objectives.

In response to further questions, the Head of Development Management confirmed that the bid consultation had run for 10-weeks as it was the first consultation run. The standard approach for planning related consultations was a 6-week consultation. The CIL monies provision could be prefaced with a time period by which the funds had to be spent, to prevent unnecessary delay to the schemes’ progression. The Head of Finance confirmed that the bids’ received had to include information on the project’s deliverability, to mitigate the risk of increasing costs.

The Committee expressed support in particular for the Heather House and St.Faiths Community Centre projects as these would benefit the local communities. To ensure the schemes deliverability, a time-restriction on the funds’ usage within the agreement between the Council and relevant bodies was supported. It was recommended that a second consultation process take place to encourage further bids, to focus on areas such as highway improvement, social infrastructure and biodiversity and climate change.

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development stated that the discussion had been helpful and reiterated the requirement for infrastructure providers to submit bids.

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet be recommended to:

1.  Agree the Community Infrastructure Levy funding that has been collected be allocated (as minima) to the following strategic projects for the period to 31 March 2025 (figures are approximate and based on early February 2023 data):

a) M20 Junction 7 Upgrade - £1,900,000 in Strategic CIL monies subject to appropriate due diligence by the Director of Finance & Business Improvement in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Services; and

b) A229 Linton Crossroads Junction Improvement - £1,232,000; and

c) Heather House Community Centre Redevelopment - £956,420; and

d) St Faith’s Community Centre Redevelopment - £200,000; and

2.  Agree that  Maidstone Borough Council and the Infrastructure Provider for the A229 Linton Crossroads Junction Improvement includes a time limited delivery date; and

3.  Agree to reopen the Community Infrastructure Levy funding process with effect from 1 October 2023 to 15 December 2023 (10 week period) for a further round of bids to be received according to the terms and conditions of the process.