A Labour MP has called on the government to exempt smaller individual developments from paying the community infrastructure levy on new building projects.
John Mann brought an early day motion last week outlining his concerns that CIL payments of up to £35,000 could prevent individuals from building their own homes.
The motion states: ‘People are already abandoning plans to build a house because of these new taxes.’ It calls on the housing minister to set a threshold for the number of homes in a development below which the levy would not be applied.
Mr Mann, the MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, said an exemption would ‘give a boost to the aspiration of people and the small businesses who lose out the most from these unfair taxes’.
The CIL allows councils to charge developers a tax to be spent on a range of local infrastructure that is needed as a result of the development.
Last year, a government amendment to the CIL omitted plans to use funds raised for affordable housing.
In July 2012, Mr Mann attacked plans for Bassetlaw Council to introduce CIL.
Speaking at the time, he said: ‘While this is a tax that may easily be swallowed by Persimmon or the Bovis Homes of this world, it could be unaffordable for local businesses and landowners who generally employ local builders and support trades such as architects, plumbers and electricians.’