The organisation’s Building and Development Committee has sent an open letter to Environment Minister Steve Luce, describing its concerns about the introduction of a community infrastructure levy and warning that the proposal could have ‘far-reaching negative effects’.
Under such a scheme, developers would provide a financial contribution to a centralised fund reserved for the benefit of the community as part of the planning process. Currently, extra costs for things like new bus shelters or funds for the Island’s cycle routes can be added on as a planning application is determined. However, under the community infrastructure levy, Deputy Luce said, developers would know exactly what their application costs would be from the outset.
However, the Chamber of Commerce’s Building and Development Committee says that the proposals amount to a tax targeted at the construction industry that would be inconsistently administered, would cause administrative confusion and could stop developments being pursued. The committee has welcomed Deputy Luce’s pledge not to go ahead with the new levy if investigations find that it is not viable for Jersey.
