Infrastructure to support new development and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge on new development so that developers contribute to funding infrastructure to support and serve the needs of new development.
'Infrastructure' includes new roads and transport, schools, medical facilities, sports and recreational facilities, and flood defences. It is subject to strict national rules which set out when it must be paid by developers (scroll to bottom of the page for guidance) and how it is spent.
Recent facilities funded through CIL
CIL cannot pay for all the new infrastructure needed to support development across Dartford. We use our CIL funds to contribute towards infrastructure projects the borough needs. CIL is used as ‘top up’ finance to make sure projects that are suitable for Dartford can be taken forward and delivered by service providers, such as the NHS or Kent County Council.
Since 2023, the council has agreed to spend more than £25million of CIL strategic funding to support the delivery of major infrastructure across Dartford. See below for some examples.
- The Council is supporting a new Intensive Treatment Unit at Darent Valley Hospital with £7million of Dartford’s CIL funding.
- The Council is supporting a new NHS Medical Centre at Stone/Greenhithe with £3.6million of Dartford’s CIL funding. The medical centre will provide local GP practices and a minor surgery unit.
- A range of other significant new infrastructure is happening across the borough due to awards of Dartford’s CIL funding by the Council. This includes regeneration of Dartford town centre, the new Stone Recreation Ground and improvements at Beaconwood Country Park, Bean.
Town and parish councils in the borough have together received £4million from CIL since its introduction. In the rest of Dartford (excluding Ebbsfleet) the Council has awarded neighbourhood CIL for a variety of local projects: from community facilities and a mental health centre, to environmental improvements, upgraded footpaths, and parking provisions.
Find out more about new infrastructure and Dartford’s CIL Funding
- To see if the small scale opportunities for local CIL funding are available for your organisation, see Neighbourhood Projects. This support is available in parts of the borough without a Parish (or Town) Council.
- More new major infrastructure is planned. The Dartford Local Plan co-ordinates growth in the borough and plans for new infrastructure, working with the service providers. Also looking ahead, Dartford’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) categorises larger potential key infrastructure based on their updated funding status, informed by the Council’s work with delivery partners (e.g. Kent County Council, the NHS and Environment Agency).
- Data on developer contribution monies received through CIL and Section 106 Agreements is reported through Dartford's Infrastructure Statement.
CIL guidance for developers and landowners
For help with CIL legal requirements for your developments (including: how and when to pay the correct amount, exemptions, national forms to complete, and CIL rates) see Dartford’s CIL guidance for developers. This page includes the local CIL current charging rates.