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Latest newsPlanning Bill: CBI maintains pressureThe CBI made a number of media statements this month and met with senior frontbench spokespersons in its continuing campaign of support for the government proposals to radically streamline the planning system for major infrastructure projects. In anticipation of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords, the CBI outlined the importance of the Bill in delivering future energy security and meeting climate change commitments. The Bill’s committee examination in the Lords will commence when Parliament returns from its summer recess in early October. Contact luke.jouanides@cbi.org.uk for more information.Community Infrastructure LevyThis month the CBI met senior CLG officials to discuss the government’s Planning Bill proposals to empower local planning authorities to establish a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Since the Bill’s examination in the House of Commons it has become clear that regional planning bodies will not be empowered to charge CIL, and that for local authorities these powers will only be discretionary. Nevertheless, the Bill’s provisions remain highly permissive with future regulations detailing the circumstances in which CIL may be charged or spent. The CBI, in discussion with CLG continues to raise important business concerns, including: the relationship between CIL and existing section 106 agreements and the scope for double charging for new infrastructure; the case for exempting certain forms of development from payment; and the need to protect general business interests where there is no, or a marginal, net increase in development. Contact luke.jouanides@cbi.org.uk for more information.Regional land use and transport planningOn 20 June the CBI submitted its response to the Government’s consultation on the Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (Click here to view) The response supported, in principle, the concept of Regional Development Agencies assuming broader spatial planning powers and the wider proposals to streamline the regional tier of governance.Empty property rates: Introduction of new regimeFollowing the Government’s decision in 2007 to amend the empty property relief regime, the new rules came into force in April 2008 and mean that vacant non-industrial properties will receive 100% relief from business rates for only three months and industrial property for only six months after which full rates must be paid. The government heeded the advice of the CBI in terms of retaining the full exemption from empty property rates for protected buildings and in extending relief for companies in liquidation to those in administration, but the government refused to amend the proposals for both industrial and non-industrial property. Amid reports that the changes are resulting in unintended consequences through actions by some property owners the CBI has called on the government to monitor the effect of these changes on a range of indicators including rates of development and rental values as well as vacancy rates. We would be interested in hearing from members on the effect of this tax on their property portfolio. Contact Sara Draper.Chancellor proposes new local business taxThe Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government would legislate to allow councils to levy a supplement on top of the business rate as part of his pre-Budget Report in October 2007. The idea was recommended by Sir Michael Lyons in his review of local government finance. The government's proposals are set out in a white paper and highlight a number of safeguards for business which address some of the concerns expressed by the CBI in the lead up to the pre-Budget Report. The proposals state that a supplement would have to be spent on specific economic development projects and would be capped to two pence on top of the Uniform Business Rate. Councils would also be required to ballot businesses if the supplementary business rate constituted more than a third of any project cost. In order to reduce complexity only upper tier authorities would be given the power to levy a supplement. The CBI welcomed government proposals for recognising that business is not prepared to give councils unfettered authority to raise business rates. The CBI maintains that businesses should have a vote on all proposals and will seek further assurances from the government that their proposed safeguards will work in practice. If you would like to be involved in the CBI’s work on supplementary business rates please contact Sara Draper on 020 7395 8089 or by e-mail at sara.draper@cbi.org.uk.Killian and Pretty review - consultation publishedEarlier this year the government announced a new independent review of the development control process by David Pretty (ex-CEO of Barratt Developments) and Joanna Killian (CEO of Essex CC). The review contacted stakeholder organisations to gather detailed feedback on how the 'end-to-end' planning application process could be improved. The CBI recently submitted its preliminary views to the review team which can be viewed here.On the 27 June the review team published a Call for Solutions consultation document (see: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/ professionals/en/1115315772911.html). The CBI will respond to the consultation which closes on 5 September building upon the issues identified within our original submission. For more information please contact Luke Jouanides. Key issues in summaryFor the latest CBI thinking on planning issues, see our business summaries.If you need free Adobe Acrobat PDF reader software or help with PDF documents, go to the Adobe Accessibility site at http://access.adobe.com Email us if you have accessibility requirements. Click on this link to go to the Policy Work page. |
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