Council secures £21 million for housing, infrastructure and communities
The council’s planning team and the planning committee are securing significant funds for Brighton & Hove’s communities.
Last year the council received £4.9 million through negotiated developer contributions, known as Section 106, as part of the planning process.
It was a record year for developer contributions, as the council secured £7.6 million as a result of planning negotiations.
At the end of March 2021, the council had a fund of £21,362,484 which is earmarked for projects being developed over the next few years. These include affordable housing developments and infrastructure.
In 2020/21, £2.5 million supported key projects – nearly £1.1 million went towards providing 15 new affordable homes, £161,000 on recreation and sport facilities and £716,000 on transport improvements for pedestrians.
Homes and open spaces
Planning permission was given for 1,628 new homes, with 371 affordable to buy or rent. This is the highest annual amount of housing granted permission during the 10-year monitoring period of the City Plan.
Initial findings indicate that 479 new homes were built in 2020-21, 31% of these affordable (152).
Developer contributions also help to create sustainable development and healthy communities, for example through providing investment for long-term sustainable transport and improved recreation and green spaces.
CityParks have also spent more than £3 million on improving parks and open spaces from funds secured from developer contributions, such as play improvements in Preston Park.
More information
Councillors will discuss the Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement at the next Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee on 25 November.
Developer contributions come from two sources – the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106.
Councillor Leo Littman, chair of the city’s planning committee, said: “Our job is to determine the ‘planning balance’ for every major application in the city. Having our officers do such a great job of negotiating levels of financial contributions with developers, and ensuring the city is appropriately compensated for any added pressures due to proposed new developments, makes assessing that balance a lot easier.
“It gives us confidence that every major planning application will benefit local communities and the wider city.
“Developer contributions support infrastructure and facilities upgrades for residents, workers, and visitors, alike.
“These include affordable housing, local employment training opportunities, improvements to parks and recreational spaces, transport infrastructure, accessibility, and educational facilities.”
