Very different types of infrastructure can unlock development and make it sustainable. Examples include transport, schools and health centres, flood defences, play areas, parks, other green spaces, as well as arts and cultural facilities. Much of this is already funded in part by the existing system of developer contributions. But currently there is little integration and stock-taking of the types of infrastructure needed to meet current and future needs of local communities as part of the local spatial development plans.

Planning Policy Statement 12 on local spatial planning (PPS 12) states that a number of points should be considered in preparing local plans. These include preparing a delivery strategy for meeting objectives. PPS 12 recommends that good infrastructure planning considers:

• the infrastructure needed to support development
• costs
• sources of funding
• timescales for delivery, and
• gaps in funding.

Local authorities who wish to collect developer contributions as part of community infrastructure levy (CIL) will need to build this into the infrastructure plan and CIL charging schedule that they will develop as part of their statutory Local Development Framework. But good infrastructure planning also recognises that other sources of funding need to be identified not just a reliance on Section 106 planning obligations of CIL.

The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) has developed a support package of material, including tools and templates to assist local authorities in infrastructure planning. In particular the ‘steps approach’ developed in conjunction with rmjm consulting and Colin Buchanan. The aim of the pilot is to road test its package of support and to provide learning for others based on the practical experiences of the pilot authorities. PAS is currently supporting 13 local authorities as part of a pilot project.

See the PAS infrastructure delivery and planning web pages for more information.

You can find further information on the community infrastructure levy in the Sources of Funding section of the toolkit. 

You can find further guidance on how the CSPT can assist you in the infrastructure planning process in the 5-Stage Process section of the toolkit.

Links to Further Guidance and Advice

Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning, 2008

Planning Advisory Service Infrastructure Planning and Delivery

Planning Advisory Service’s Steps Approach to infrastructure planning and delivery, June 2009

Planning Advisory Service’s Plan Making Manual

DCLG, Infrastructure Delivery: Spatial Plans in Practice - Supporting the reform of local planning, 2008