Community infrastructure levy in Watford

The community infrastructure levy (CIL) a planning charge for developers and landowners that supports the development of local infrastructure.

It's charged per square metre on new developments that include:

  • new dwellings of any size
  • any development where the internal area of a new building, extension or change of use exceeds 100 square metres

Find out more about CIL on the GOV.UK website

See if you're liable for the CIL

All the information you need to see if you're liable for the CIL is on the Planning Portal website

Exemptions and relief from CIL

Your project may be exempt from CIL under certain circumstances. 

Find out about CIL exemptions on the Planning Portal website

Complete CIL forms online

Complete and submit CIL forms using our new portal

Download CIL forms

All the CIL forms from 1 to 14 are available online. 

Download CIL forms online from the Planning Portal website

Calculate the costs of CIL

Watford Charging Schedule
Type of development Base CIL rate CIL rate 2024
Residential (includes Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), Co-living and Build to Rent) £120 per square metre £179.29
Hotel £120 per square metre £179.29
Specialist accommodations for the elderly
and/or disabled including sheltered and
retirement housing and nursing homes,
residential care homes and extra care
accommodation. (This does not include
registered, not for profit care
homes)(within use class C2 and C3)
£120 per square metre £179.29
Retail (Class A1 - A5) £120 per square metre £179.29
Retail - Within the primary shopping area
(Class A1 - A5)
£55 per square metre £82.18
Office  £0 per square metre £0
Industrial  £0 per square metre £0
Other uses  £0 per square metre £0
Major developed areas (MDAs) £0 per square metre £0

The annual index figure is developed for the purposes of keeping the levy rate responsive to market conditions. It is applied as set out in the ‘Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) (England) (No.2) Regulations 2019’. More information about the latest indexation rate can be found on the BICS website.

Index rates

 Year

 Index figure

 2024 (the year in which planning permission was granted) (lp)

 381

2023 (the year in which planning permission was granted) (lp)

355

2022 (the year in which planning permission was granted) (lp)

 332

View an annual year rate summary since 2015

Instalment information

You can pay your CIL in the following ways:

Instalment information

£0.00-£34,999.99

100% @60 days

£35,000.00- £99,999.99

25% @60 days

75% @120 days

Over £100,000

25% @60 days

50% @120 days

25% @360 days

Download Watford CIL guidance information

You can download all the information you need about Watford community infrastructure levy (PDF 1.65MB)

Appeal a decision

To appeal a CIL decision, you can find information on the GOV.UK website    

Making a CIL payment

Important: Please quote ‘CIL’ and the planning reference number and site address when paying.

Payment can be accepted by BACS/internet transfer to:

  • Account Name: Watford Borough Council
  • Account number 04041955
  • Sort Code 30-99-21

Alternatively, you can pay by card over the phone by calling 01923 226400.  

How is CIL money spent?

Our CIL income is split in accordance with the regulations in the following way:

  • 15% of the money received will be spent on priorities to address demands that new development places on our neighbourhoods in Watford. This portion of the income is referred to as Neighbourhood CIL.
  • 5% is used to administer CIL in Watford
  • The remaining 80%, will be spent on infrastructure projects that benefit the whole borough e.g. affordable housing and public open space.  This is referred to as Watford’s Strategic CIL.

The Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) is an annual report which provides a summary of CIL and Section 106 receipts and expenditure.

Contact us

If you have any questions or need more information, contact us using our online form.

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