Evaluating options for reforming infrastructure charging mechanisms

Strategic Infrastructure Charging Mechanism Research

In 2015, the Independent Review of the Scottish Planning System identified concerns regarding infrastructure delivery and methods for securing developer contributions. They recommended that work should be undertaken to consider new options for a national infrastructure levy, a tool for local authorities to help deliver infrastructure to support the development of an area. In response, our team was appointed by the Scottish Government to lead a multidisciplinary research project to identify and assess options for the introduction of an infrastructure charging mechanism across Scotland.

Our job? To identify key priorities for a levy and the challenges that would be associated with the project and to evaluate a range of models for capturing land value uplift to fund infrastructure and set out a detailed framework for the implementation of the work. Our research adopted a three-stage methodology, with stages one and two based around reviewing the evidence base and consulting on potential high-level options. Stage 3 expanded on the preferred option to consider how it could be implemented and operated by public bodies.

The recommendations of the infrastructure charging research are now being taken forward by the Scottish Government through the inclusion of an enabling power for an infrastructure level within the Planning (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in December 2017.