Torridge District Council agrees £6.8 million of monetary planning contributions for communities in financial year 2023-2024

The Council has today (Friday 20 December) published a document that shows the levels of funding agreed for infrastructure alongside development.

The Council's annual Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) is a snapshot of the legal agreements that the Council's planning team has been working on to attain funding for infrastructure and the maintenance thereof. Most of the contributions are a result of planning approvals for housing development in the district.  The monetary contributions agreed must be spent on community infrastructure such as recreation spaces, improvements at medical centres & surgeries, swimming pool improvements, library & community hub contributions, and biodiversity contributions. Funding for infrastructure through legal agreements will be paid to the Council once certain 'trigger points', or milestones, are reached on development sites. Separately, community-based organisations can also apply for S106 grant funding in some circumstances.

Past examples of infrastructure supported through such S106 funds are the improvements to the tennis courts at Westward Ho!, and a youth shelter in Beaford (as detailed in the 2022-2023 IFS). During the financial year of 2023-2024, the Council spent some £37,000 of S106 monies towards play and recreational facilities, for example at Short Close in Bideford, and at Stanhope Park in Holsworthy. In the future, communities will benefit from more infrastructure delivery alongside the housing developments across the district, because more funds have been agreed in financial year 2023-2024 through S106 legal agreements.

The IFS is a legal requirement which was introduced under the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2019. The regulations require that all contribution receiving authorities must publish an IFS, which includes any Local Planning Authority to whom a sum is required to be paid or a non-monetary contribution received under obligations entered during the reporting year.

This IFS covers the period of 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The Statement details any monies secured, received, retained, or spent along with physical infrastructure, such as affordable housing, in relation to section 106 planning obligations. The following funds and infrastructure were therefore received as a result of legal agreements linked to planning approvals. The Council can use funds to provide or improve infrastructure in the locations specified in the individual legal agreements.

The IFS shows that in the reporting period, 67 affordable dwellings were delivered: an increase of 47 from the previous IFS (2022-2023).  

The report also shows that on 1 April 2023, the Council held £394,065.39 in capital monies, and £159,694.53 in revenue monies for the purpose of maintenance.

Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, the Council received £336,461.15 of capital monies, £67,536.11 of revenue monies and £53,653.00 of S106 monitoring fees.

During the same period, the Council spent £37,648.66 of capital monies, £15,124.48 of revenue monies and £11,653.00 of S106 monitoring fees.

This meant that at the end of the reporting period on 31 March 2024, the Council retained £692,877.88 of capital monies, £212,106.18 of revenue monies and £42,000.00 of S106 monitoring fees.

Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, the Council agreed between £6.8 million and £7.3 million in monetary contributions resulting from S106 legal agreements between applicants and the Local Planning Authority. These newly agreed funds are expected to be paid to the council when and if agreed trigger points are met. 62% of those contributions will be for community facilities and the maintenance of those. 18% of those contributions will be for open space and leisure and the maintenance of those, and 15% of those will be towards health infrastructure and maintenance thereof.

All details of the monies secured, received, retained, or spent along with physical infrastructure, such as affordable housing, in relation to section 106 planning obligations can be found within the latest IFS.

Councillor Rosemary Lock, Lead Member for Planning & Development, said:

"I am pleased to draw attention to the Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/2024, which gives a clear indication that planning provides a vital source of funding for infrastructure in the local communities of Torridge. The IFS shows that there is good engagement between officers and applicants to provide for communities.

The IFS also provides communities with clear communication and transparency about what monies the Council holds in relation to planning obligations and how they are or could be spent. With improved monitoring systems now in place, communities will be able to enjoy the resulting infrastructure from the legal agreements in the future."

Dec 24