The purpose of this advice note is to offer guidance to those submitting a planning application for residential development on the levels of commuted sum payments for open space provision. It should be read in conjunction with policy GI6 (New Open Space Provision) of the adopted City of York Local Plan, attached as Appendix A. This note supersedes the guidance set out in ‘Commuted Sum Payments for Open Space in New Developments (2014)’.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule came into effect on 1st February 2026. Before the introduction of CIL, contributions towards open space were made through S106 agreements. S106 agreements will continue to be used for site specific infrastructure where there is a requirement and a direct link between the contributing development and infrastructure project.
All major[1]residential development should contribute to the provision of amenity open space, noting that there will be no requirement for contributions to play space for children/teenagers from single bedroom dwellings, student housing schemes and housing for older people. Where subsequent applications for change of use from ‘excepted’ developments are submitted, open space contributions may be required.
Open space provision is always a blend of the consideration of quantity, quality and accessibility, both in terms of existing and potential new facilities. Open space requirements for new residential development will be determined by applying the minimum open space standards which accompany policy GI6, set out in Table 1, based on existing evidence.[2] These standards will be used to assess whether existing open space provision in an area is sufficient to meet the needs arising from the development.
Table 1: Open space standards of provision
|
|
Recommended standard per 1000 population |
Recommended accessibility standard |
|
Parks and Gardens |
0.18ha |
20 minute walk (960m) (City Park); 15 minute walk (720m) (Local Park) |
|
Natural / Semi natural |
2.13ha |
15 minute walk (720m) |
|
Amenity |
1.45ha |
5 minute walk (240m) |
|
Childrens playspace |
0.48ha |
10 minute walk (480m) |
|
Teenagers playspace |
0.21ha |
15 minute walk (720m) |
|
Outdoor sports facilities |
1.78ha |
15 minute walk (720m) for pitches / tennis / bowls; 20 minute public transport for synthetic turf pitches |
|
Allotments |
0.29ha |
15 minute walk (720m) |
For each open space typology, a requirement to contribute new open space will normally be waived only if it is found that the relevant standard is met or exceeded. Where a residential development generates a need for new open space, it should be provided on-site where possible, with off-site provision only considered acceptable in specific cases, as set out in policy GI6. The table below shows the commuted sum payments required for residential developments. Commuted sum payments will be secured by a Section 106 Agreement.
Table 2: Commuted sum required per dwelling for increasing capacity and access of existing provision (excluding the land cost element).[3]
|
No of bedrooms in a single dwelling |
Children’s equipped play space (£) |
Informal amenity open space (£) |
Outdoor sports facilities (£) |
|
1 |
n/a |
222.88 |
314.39 |
|
2 |
776.38 |
445.75 |
628.78 |
|
3 |
1552.7 |
668.63 |
943.16 |
|
4 |
2329.13 |
891.50 |
1257.55 |
|
5+ |
3105.50 |
1143.90 |
1571.94 |
Inflation at the time of the
signing of the Section 106 Agreement must be added to the above
figures, where necessary – for example, if the Section 106
Agreement was signed after revised figures were published to take
account of annual inflation.
Residential development proposals should contribute to the provision of open space for recreation and amenity in accordance with current local standards and using the Council’s up to date open space assessment. The successful integration of open space into a proposed development should be considered early in the design process.
The Council will require on-site provision where possible but off-site provision will be considered acceptable in the following circumstances:
i. if the proposed development site is of insufficient size in itself to make the appropriate provision (in accordance with the Council’s standards) feasible within the site;
ii. it is demonstrated that provision can be met more appropriately by providing either new or enhanced provision off-site; and
iii. On allocated strategic sites, it may be appropriate for green infrastructure masterplanning to make accessible provision beyond the allocated site boundary. Open space standards as set out in the most up to date open space evidence base document should still be used as a guide to overall provision.
New open space is identified on the Policies Map at:
• OS1: Land North of Manor Church of England Academy
• OS2: Land to North of Poppleton Juniors, Millfield Lane, Poppleton
• OS5: Germany Beck
• OS6: Land abutting the River Foss at Heworth Croft
Indicative new significant areas of open space have been identified in connection with the following strategic sites, as shown on the Policies Map:
• OS7: Land at Minster Way at ST7
• OS8: New Parkland to the East of ST8
• OS9: New Recreation and Sports Provision to the south of ST9
• OS10: New Area for Nature Conservation on land to the South of A64 in association with ST15
• OS11: Land to the East of ST31
This new open space will be complemented by further on-site provision of local green and open space (as required in this and other relevant sections of the plan), and both should be planned cohesively in order, where appropriate, to:
• manage impacts on the city’s historic character and setting;
• mitigate and compensate for ecological impacts, and provide for ecological enhancement;
• meet open space requirements arising from new development;
• accommodate drainage infrastructure, flood storage and attenuation;
• retain and enhance landscape and heritage features; and
• frame pedestrian and cycle linkage.
The precise delineation and extent of the new open space will be set through detailed masterplanning and the planning process.
[1] 10 dwellings or site area of 0.5ha+
[2] As at 1st January 2026, current evidence base is set out in City of York Local Plan Evidence Base: Open Space and GI update (Sept 2017) https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/1699/sd085-city-of-york-local-plan-evidence-base-open-space-and-green-infrastructure-update-september-2017-. Where this is superseded, applicants should instead refer to the most up to date evidence.
[3] Based on existing schemes within the City of York, upgraded, using data from the Construction Output Price Indices (os.gov.uk). Prices will be updated annually in line with the Construction Output Price Indices.