Developer Contributions on the agenda

2nd May 2023

Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee will consider updated developer contribution rates for education and community facilities when they meet on Thursday.

Approval of the report will allow the Council to apply revised developer contribution rates for schools and community facilities in line with up to date construction costs and taking account of the latest evidence on the implications of housing development for schools and other infrastructure. If approved the increased rates will apply to any developer contributions for new cases received by the Council from the date of the committee. The outcome, if approved, seeks to align the Council’s rates, to enable developer contributions sought to be fair, accurate and proportionate but also capable of providing the necessary infrastructure required to mitigate the impact of any proposed development.

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "It’s vital that the Council ensures that it is securing appropriate and proportionate costs from the developments that have an impact. It’s about a fair approach to delivering the infrastructure needed to make Highland a great place to live. A significant amount of work has gone into updating the financial rates and the evidence that triggers where those payments will be needed.

“The Council is always looking at how best to deliver these facilities including options for combining sports, community and education facilities where possible. We also need to align the capital programme and other funding opportunities to deliver these facilities where and when they are needed and that we have a strategy that makes that clear."

The report follows other procedural changes for developer contributions that the Council agreed at the February Economy and Infrastructure Committee.

All other contribution types are due to be considered as part of a wider review of developer contributions through a new Highland Local Development Plan to be prepared in the coming months.

A link to the report members will be discussing is now available on the Council’s website - https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4782/economy_and_infrastructure_committee (Item 16)