Developer contributions

As a developer, you may be asked to provide financial contributions for infrastructure when applying for planning permission. This is generally where there is insufficient capacity to support future development. 

These payments are known as developer contributions and are regularly required for new facilities, such as:

• schools
• open spaces
• affordable housing 

Working out what a developer contribution may cost

Developer contribution costs should be budgeted for when buying land for development and working out project costs. Ahead of submitting a planning application, you should calculate likely developer contribution costs by using the:

• developer contributions supplementary guidance document
• developer contributions to upgrade the water supply at the Gretna border document

You can download both of these documents from supplementary guidance to LDP2.

Developer contribution legal agreements

In cases where contributions have been identified as necessary to allow development to happen, then a legal agreement will need to be entered into between:

• us
• the planning applicant
• any other parties that have an interest in the subject of application  

Should a planning authority approve a planning application and identify development contributions, planning permission will not be released unless a legal agreement is concluded to provide for these payments.