Scrap this stealth tax

FURTHER to the Community infrastructure Levy and the way in which it increases the cost of building new homes, particularly on a small scale, many councils across the country are applying this stealth tax.

it’s an abomination that in towns where new housing is low cost for those on lower incomes is making building those homes prohibitive.

the tax is an infrastructure levy for roads, schools, hospitals etc, in those areas where it’s applied. it’s unjust because the people living there are already paying road tax, fuel tax and council tax, which is supposed to cover all those things anyway. the tax has to be paid before work even begins and is added to the cost of the property.

the Government is under pressure to build more new homes, but must understand why they aren’t being built. i have planning permission to build four terrace houses in a lowcost, lowincome area, but the pressures imposed by the local authority are making the task impossible.

i own the land and the houses would bring in £150,000 each, at best. But with the Cil levy, car parking area for six cars, landscaping, new road surfaces, paving, house warranties, design fees, airtightness tests, sales fees, etc, my quantity surveyor says the job isn’t viable. it would cost more than £650,000, plus VAT.

i can’t even hope to break even, so those four houses aren’t being built. to how many more sites across the country does this apply?

the Government needs to take another careful look at these taxes and conditions.

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