Infrastructure Funding Statement
3. Community Infrastructure Levy
Collection and expenditure
3.1 The amount of CIL carried forward to 2022/ 2023 is set out in Table 3.
| CIL carried forward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Strategic CIL (Wiltshire Council) | £37,007,079.45 |
| Local CIL (Town/ Parish Councils) | £645,042.63 |
| Admin | £0 |
| TOTAL | £37,652,122.08 |
3.2 Total CIL income in 2022/ 2023 was £7,615,063.80, as set out in Table 4. Details of each CIL receipt and how it was apportioned are set out in Appendix B. Note that a total amount taken from individual CIL receipts in Appendix B may differ from the summary totals in Table 4 due to the timings of separate monitoring systems relating to finance and planning. The Council did not receive any land or infrastructure payments (i.e., the provision of land or infrastructure in lieu of paying CIL) during 2022/ 2023.
| CIL received | Amount |
|---|---|
| Strategic CIL (Wiltshire Council) | £5,754,221.73 |
| Local CIL (Town/ Parish Councils) | £1,443,287.48 |
| Admin | £417,554.59 |
| Total | £7,615,063.80 |
3.3 £1,554,115.54 was devolved to Town/ Parish Councils in 2022/ 2023.
3.4 £2,467,596.12 was spent on strategic infrastructure projects in 2022/ 2023. Committed expenditure to strategic infrastructure projects is set out later in this statement.
3.5 The Council can also use up to 5% of CIL towards administrative costs.
3.6 In summary, therefore, the amount of CIL carried forward to 2023/ 2024 is set out in Table 5.
| CIL carried forward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Strategic CIL (Wiltshire Council) | £40,293,704.93 |
| Local CIL (Town/ Parish Councils) | £534,214.57 |
| Admin | £0 |
| Total | £40,827,919.50 |
Priority projects
3.7 In total, as of 31 March 2023, c.£24.4m of CIL expenditure from the CIL strategic fund has been spent or committed leaving £15.9m. Note that since 1 April 2023, further CIL funding has been allocated. See paragraph 3.34. This is discussed further below but as shown in Table 6, comprises:
| Date approved | Amount | Infrastructure category | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2018 | £119,000 | Education | Preliminary studies for the expansion of Abbeyfield School, Chippenham |
| December 2018 | £136,000 | Transport | Preliminary studies for the following:
|
| 2020/ 2021 | £27,874 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | EnTrade commissioned to identify offsetting measures to ensure phosphate neutral development in the catchment area for the River Avon (Hampshire) Special Area of Conservation (SAC) |
| January 2021 | £850,000 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Strategic fund to deliver offsetting mitigation measures to help secure phosphate neutral development in the catchment area for the River Avon (Hampshire) SAC |
| September 2021 | £6,427,229 | Education | Phase 1 of the expansion of Abbeyfield School, Chippenham |
| September 2021 | £1,350,000 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Strategic fund to mitigate the impact of recreational pressures from development on bat habitats associated with the Bath and Bradford on Avon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in line with the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy (February 2020). |
| September 2021 | £220,000 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Strategic fund for measures to mitigate the impact of recreational pressures from development on the Salisbury Plain Special Protection Area (SPA). |
| September 2021 | £750,000 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Strategic fund to mitigate recreational pressures arising from development on the New Forest Protected Sites in line with the Interim Recreation Mitigation Strategy for the New Forest Internationally protected sites (January 2022). |
| February 2022 | £3,154,212 | Transport | A350 Chippenham Bypass improvements phases 4 and 5 |
| February 2022 | £4,516,000 | Transport | A350 M4 Junction 17 capacity improvements |
| February 2022 | £1,377,783 | Transport | A338 Southern Salisbury Junction improvements (Exeter Street Roundabout, Harnham Gyratory and Park Wall Junction) |
| February 2022 | £3,909,500 | Transport | A350 Melksham Bypass |
| April 2022 | £400,000 | Transport | Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Groups (LHFIGs) |
| April 2022 | £160,500 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Air quality monitoring infrastructure at Bradford-on-Avon, Calne, Devizes and Salisbury. |
| April 2022 | £1,000,000 | Open space, green infrastructure, and the environment | Increase the pot of funding, from £1.35m to £2.35m to mitigate the impact of recreational pressures from development on bat habitats associated with the Bath and Bradford on Avon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in line with the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy (February 2020). |
| Total | £24,398,098 | all categories | all projects |
Education projects
3.8 Following Cabinet in December 2018 and approval of initial funding of £119,000, a preliminary study was completed on the expansion of Abbeyfield School. The project is required to support the cumulative demand from planned growth at Chippenham, namely the allocations in the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan. The study has shaped the project brief and identified that the school should be expanded in three phases rather than two, with each phase being for 150 pupils and equate to a single form of entry. No Government funding has been identified or is likely to become available to support the project within the Core Strategy plan period up to 2026. The study has identified the cost of Phase 1 as c£6.4m and Phase 2 as c£3.02m.
3.9 On 27 September 2021, Cabinet approved the release of further funding of circa £6.43m for Phase 1 of the expansion of Abbeyfield Secondary School.
3.10 The timing of further phases of expansion at Abbeyfield will be determined by the build out rate of future housing and the availability of pupil places at the other secondary schools in Chippenham. Phase 1 will cost more than subsequent phases as it includes the creation of a second access to the school, additional car parking, provision of incoming utilities, net carbon zero technologies etc.
3.11 A planning application has already been submitted covering all three phases and is awaiting determination. The expected programme is for works to commence on site by March 2025 and Phase 1 complete ready for occupation by September 2027.
3.12 Table 7 shows the allocation of CIL funding to the expansion of Abbeyfield School, Chippenham, and the potential for future drawdown.
| Project | Total cost | Total allocation(s) (As of 31 December 2023) | Drawdown from finance (As of 31 March 2023) | Timing of the drawdown of the full amount | Likelihood of future requirement being needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expansion of Abbeyfield Secondary School, Chippenham | £12,053,800* *Estimate prior to feasibility study. Likely to increase due to inflation. | £6,546,229 | £455,396 | Initial allocation (£119,000): Feasibility study complete. Phase 1 (£6.4m): Phase 2 (£3.02m): Timing will depend on the build out rate of housing and the availability of places at other schools. Phase 3 (£TBCm): | Medium: CIL funding for 150 places has been allocated for Phase 1. Future phases are expected to be funded through a combination of CIL and Section 106, with Section 106 contributions sought from non-allocated major sites. |
Transport projects
3.13 In April 2022, Cabinet added to the Council's CIL Infrastructure List and approved funding for up to £400,000 to the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Groups (LHFIGs) programme for projects that relate to pedestrian and cycle improvements. These projects comprise infrastructure improvements to support walking and cycling, associated safety measures or projects to improve the attractiveness of travel by these modes. Since the end of the previous financial year, in July 2023, Cabinet has approved the allocation of a further £800,000 to finance £400,000 per year for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 budgets for LHFIGs.
3.14 In February 2022, Cabinet added to the Infrastructure List and approved £12.597m of CIL funding for the following transport projects:
- A338 Southern Salisbury Junction improvements (Exeter Street Roundabout, Harnham Gyratory and Park Wall Junction)
- A350 Chippenham Bypass improvements phases 4 and 5
- A350 M4 Junction 17 capacity improvements, and
- A350 Melksham Bypass
3.15 The A338 Southern Salisbury Junction improvements project is identified in the Salisbury Transport Strategy. It will support planned growth in the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan by improving the strategic transport network, which includes the A338 around Salisbury. To ensure timely progression of the project, CIL will contribute towards the funding gap left following the allocation of Section 106 contributions (£960,000).
3.16 The A350 Chippenham Bypass improvements phases 4 and 5 project is identified in the Chippenham Transport Strategy. It will improve the A350 to support its functionality as a strategic road corridor and the sustainable growth of west Wiltshire, thus supporting planned growth in the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan. Similarly, CIL will contribute towards the funding gap left after the allocation of MRN funding (£26.625m).
3.17 The A350 M4 Junction 17 capacity improvements project is a result of work undertaken by the Council that identified the need for additional investment at the top of the A350 around Junction 17 to support its functionality. This project will provide further capacity improvements over and above those secured as part of the Chippenham Gateway development. CIL will contribute towards the local funding gap left following the allocation of MRN funding (estimated at £25.9m).
3.18 Funding towards the A350 Melksham Bypass project, which will address longstanding concerns about capacity in the A350 through Beanacre and Melksham, will progress the scheme to the Full Business Case stage. Discussions will continue to be held with the Department of Transport (DfT) regarding the longer-term funding arrangements for the scheme.
3.19 Table 8 sets out the CIL funding profile for these projects.
| CIL contribution | 2022/ 23 | 2023/ 24 | 2024/ 25 | 2025/ 26 | 2026/ 27 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A350 M4 Junction 17 capacity improvements | £212,786 | £293,214 | £2,639,950 | £1,370,050 | £0 | £4,516,000 |
| A338 Southern Salisbury Junction improvements | £129,176 | £68,824 | £562,640 | £617,143 | £0 | £1,377,783 |
| A350 Chippenham Bypass Phases 4 and 5 | £1,183,215 | £988,773 | £982,224 | £0 | £0 | £3,154,212 |
| A350 Melksham Bypass | £193,401 | £1,244,849 | £954,250 | £975,250 | £541,750 | £3,909,500 |
| Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Groups (LHFIGs) | £400,000 | £400,000 | £400,000 | £0 | £0 | £1,200,000 |
| Total: | £2,118,578 | £2,995,660 | £5,539,064 | £2,962,443 | £541,750 | £14,157,495 |
3.20 Previously, in December 2018, Cabinet had approved CIL funding of £136,000 towards preliminary feasibility studies in relation to the following transport projects:
- Malmesbury Road, Roundabout, Chippenham
- Bridge Centre Gyratory, Chippenham, and
- A361 Holy Trinity Gyratory, Trowbridge
3.21 In July 2023, Cabinet removed a £0.053m underspend on the CIL Funded schemes budget. This was allocated for the preliminary feasibility transport studies, which have now all completed. The removal will allow CIL to be reallocated to other projects.
3.22 Table 9 summarises CIL funding allocations to transport schemes and the potential for future draw.
| Project | Total cost | Total CIL allocation (as of 31 December 2023) | Drawdown from finance (as of 31 March 2023) | Timing of the drawdown of the full amount | Likelihood of future requirement being needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malmesbury Road Roundabout, Chippenham | £3m | £80,000 | c.£80,000 (see paragraph 3.21) | Complete | Medium: Project should provide capacity to support future growth at the town. As such, the Local Plan Review will need to be more advanced before further funding is committed. |
| Bridge Centre Gyratory, Chippenham | £1m | £36,000 | c.£36,000 (see paragraph 3.21) | Complete | Medium: Project needs to be coordinated with the regeneration of the Bridge Centre and Bath Road Car Park site in Chippenham. |
| A361 Holy Trinity Gyratory, Trowbridge | £1m | £20,000 | c.£20,000 (see paragraph 3.21) | Complete | Medium: Projects needs to be coordinated with the regeneration of associated sites in central Trowbridge. |
| A350 M4 Junction 17 capacity improvements | £30m | £4,516,000 | £236,050 | Short-term (next five years). See Table 8. | Medium: Most of the remaining funding to be provided by an estimated DfT MRN contribution of £25.9m. |
| A338 Southern Salisbury Junction improvements | £2.3m | £1,377,783 | £113,824 | Short-term (next five years). See Table 8. | Medium: Most of the remaining funding to be provided by Section 106 contributions of circa. £0.96m. |
| A350 Chippenham Bypass Phases 4 and 5 | £30m | £3,154,212 | £1,183,215 | Short-term (next five years). See Table 8. | Medium: Most of the remaining funding to be provided by a DfT MRN contribution of £26.625m. |
| A350 Melksham Bypass | £236m | £3,909,500 | £193,401 | Short-to-medium-term (next 10 years). See Table 8. | Medium: CIL funding will progress the scheme to Full Business Case stage. Discussions will continue to be held with DfT regarding longer-term funding arrangements for the scheme. |
| Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Groups (LHFIGs) | £1,200,000 | £1,200,000 | £400,000 | Short-term (next five years). See Table 8 | High: After initial funding of £400,000 for 2022-23, Cabinet approved further funding of £400,000 for 2023-24 and 2024-25. |
Environmental projects
3.23 In January and September 2021, Cabinet approved pots of funding for European protected sites that can be drawn down in an efficient way. This followed their earlier decision, in December 2018, to give delegated authority to allocate CIL spending for projects that are needed to support planned growth and provide mitigation measures to ensure no adverse impacts on the integrity of protected sites. The strategic approach for delivering mitigation and securing funding is currently under review.
Nutrient Management Plan (River Avon)
3.24 In January 2021, Cabinet approved a ring-fenced pot of £850,000 for the delivery of off-setting measures to achieve phosphate neutral development in the River Avon (Hampshire) Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and fund a project officer to oversee delivery, monitoring, and reporting. This followed the Council's commissioning of EnTrade, in 2020/ 2021, at a cost of £27,874, to run auctions with farmers to find suitable land for offsetting mitigation measures. The Council's generic Appropriate Assessment (PDF, 517 KB)(opens new window) clarifies the approach to mitigation and the circumstances where CIL funding will be used.
Salisbury Plain Special Protection Area (SPA)
3.25 In September 2021, Cabinet approved a ring-fenced pot of up to £220,000 for the next four-year monitoring contract and visitor surveys, which form part of the mitigation strategy for the Salisbury Plain Special Protection Area (SPA). This will ensure that protected bird species, namely the Stone Curlew, are not adversely affected due to recreational impact arising from development.
New Forest protected sites (Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site)
3.26 Also in September 2021, Cabinet approved an initial strategic fund of £750,000 to contribute to the delivery of appropriate measures identified in the mitigation strategy for the New Forest protected sites. These measures will ensure that there is no adverse impact on the protected sites from recreational pressure arising from new development.
Other mitigation strategies
3.27 In April 2022, Cabinet approved an increase to the pot of funding, from £1.35m up to £2.35m, for the delivery of measures to mitigate the impact of recreational pressures upon bat habitats associated with the Bath and Bradford on Avon Bats Special Area of Conservation from housing development around Trowbridge. Through the adoption of the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy Supplementary Planning Document (February 2020), the Council had originally committed to the use of circa £1.35m CIL. In September 2021, Cabinet had approved an initial CIL funding pot to be created for this.
3.28 The Council is also working with Natural England and adjoining Local Planning authorities on the need for mitigation strategies and potential funding to address any impact arising from development due to recreational pressures on the North Meadows Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the north of the County.
Air quality monitoring infrastructure
3.29 In April 2022, Cabinet approved £160,500 of CIL funding towards air quality monitoring infrastructure at Bradford-on-Avon, Calne, Devizes and Salisbury, where infrastructure is either absent or failing. This is the funding gap once Section 106 contributions of £19,571 from development in Bradford on Avon and Calne has been considered. The monitoring data will inform the shaping of development to address air quality issues, which in turn enables investment in essential infrastructure as part of development. For example, to manage air quality by providing walking and cycling routes.
Salisbury River Park
3.30 In September 2023, Cabinet approved £0.5m of CIL funding for the Salisbury River Park to address increased costs and secure additional partner funding. The project is a risk alleviation scheme, which seeks to reduce flood risk, create wildlife and improve biodiversity by connecting green spaces, improve the recreational and amenity value of the area, and enable regeneration of sites.
Leisure projects
3.31 In September 2023, Cabinet approved £10m of CIL funding for Trowbridge Leisure Centre, referred to as the Trowbridge Leisure Facilities Project on the Infrastructure List (Appendix C), to replace borrowing.
Future spending priorities
3.32 Table 10 shows, as of 31 March 2023, the total amount of CIL collected since the Council started charging CIL in 2015.
| CIL | Amount |
|---|---|
| Strategic CIL (Wiltshire Council) | £43,260,091.91 |
| Local CIL (Town/ Parish Councils) | £10,630,030.63 |
| Admin | £2,883,811.86 |
| TOTAL | £56,773,934.40 |
3.33 This shows that, over the last eight years since Wiltshire Council started charging CIL, the average amount of CIL received is about £7.1m per year. Should CIL continue to accumulate at this rate, by 2026 about £78.1m will have been received in total. This would break down into an estimated £59.5m for the strategic CIL, £14.6m for parish councils and £4.0m for administration costs. The strategic CIL is the amount that the Council has available to spend on projects on the Infrastructure List (Appendix C). However, the estimated total cost of all the projects on the List is about £389m. See the Infrastructure Delivery Plan September 2023 (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window). This means that the strategic CIL would only meet around 20.1% of the total cost and, therefore, it is necessary to prioritise spending. It should also be emphasised that CIL is only one source of funding to help deliver infrastructure to support development.
3.34 As of December 2023, circa. £35.6m of CIL in the Council's Strategic Fund has been either spent or committed, leaving £4.6m left of the amount accumulated as of 31 March 2023. The Council is undertaking a review of the approach to the prioritisation and allocation of the Strategic CIL Fund.
3.35 Factors that might affect the amount of CIL accumulated in the strategic pot by 2026 include:
- Economic factors
- Neighbourhood plans e.g. increasing number of made neighbourhood plans means more CIL passed to parish councils
- National policy changes, e.g. proposed changes to CIL and section 106 in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.
3.36 Appendix C is the CIL Infrastructure List, which is a statement of the infrastructure that may be funded, in whole or in part, through CIL.
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