THE COUNCIL has received £890,000 in contributions from developers towards infrastructure in Rhondda Cynon Taf last year which could go towards new schools, roads and railway services.
The latest Community Infrastructure Levy annual monitoring report is due to be considered by the council’s cabinet on Monday, October 23 and it contains a list of projects (Regulation 123 list) that the CIL money is likely to go towards which include the new education provision related to the land at Mwyndy / Talbot Green, Trane Farm, Tonyrefail and the former open cast site north of A473, Llanilid.
The list also includes the A473/A4119 Talbot Green to Ynysmaerdy Relief Road; a signalised junction and active travel improvements at the A4119/A4093 roundabout in Tonyrefail, the Llanharan Link Road, the Cynon Gateway North and the South Coed Ely Link Dualling which involves upgrading the A4119 between Talbot Green and Coedely to dual carriageway standard.
Also on the list are the signalised junction for the A4119 Castell Mynach, the Llanharan Community Route involving the construction of new active travel routes, the Trefforest Industrial Estate construction of new active travel routes, a new railway station at Trefforest Industrial Estate, the extension of passenger rail services between Aberdare and Hirwaun and the A473 between Tonteg roundabout and Upper Boat roundabout.
Of the Community Infrastructure Levy, 80% goes on infrastructure to support the growth of the council area, 15% is passed on to the town and community councils for local infrastructure in the area where CIL is paid on a development and 5% goes towards implementation and administration.
The total CIL income received in 2022/2023 was £890,493.47 with the 80% strategic income being worth £319,644.05, the 15% Local income is worth £499,967,36 and the 5% administration income is worth £70,882.06.
The 80% Strategic income is less than the 15% local income due to the amount being off-set against the infrastructure balance until the cost of the new primary school at the Llanilid development has been met with the total cost of the new primary school being £10,223,499.
The amount of strategic income carried forward from 2021/2022 was £1,018,347.70 while the strategic income spent in 2022/2023 was £395,000 and the balance of strategic CIL income is worth £942,991.75.
The £395,000 was spent on Ffynnon Taf Primary School after cabinet agreed to it in September 2018 with the project including a new build extension made up of four classrooms and a hall and refurbishments to the current school buildings for school and community use. The funds were drawn down in 2022/2023.
The Regulation 123 list is not prioritised and projects can be added to the list or removed at the discretion of the council, subject to appropriate consultation.
The cabinet report said that the inclusion of a project or type of infrastructure on the list does not show a commitment from the council to fund (either in whole or part) the listed project or type of infrastructure and the order of the list does not imply any preference or priority.
