At The Wilkes Partnership, we specialise in helping NHS Trusts and Healthcare Providers obtain public authority contributions through Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy. Leenamari Aantaa-Collier is regarded as a national expert in these matters having secured £millions for a number of NHS trusts across the country.
Obtaining developer contributions
Obtaining developer contributions through Section 106 is a necessity for NHS Trusts to ensure the impact of these developments are properly mitigated, in order to safeguard adequate access to healthcare service for the local community.
Currently, many NHS Trusts do not optimise their opportunities by working closely with their Local Planning Authority and local councillors. This, in turn affects their ability to mitigate the impact of an increase in local housing and population numbers.
According to data obtained by ‘Reform’ using the Freedom of Information Act showed that between 2014 and 2019, only 36% of local councils, 105 out of 293, had secured investment for healthcare projects. Of the £87m that was promised, almost £41m has yet to be allocated and handed over to the NHS.
Under the Town and Country Planning Act (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, for any new residential development over 150 houses, an expert with an understanding of the subject matter will need to consider whether there is a significant individual and cumulative impact on population and health.
Our expert lawyers have extensive experience in both the public sector and private practice, giving us unparalleled knowledge to obtain and safeguard these contributions. We can also advise Trusts, CCGs or other healthcare providers who may be paying unnecessary CIL contributions on their own developments where exemptions could be negotiated.
An effective and collaborative relationship with the local planning authority is key to successfully securing healthcare contributions, however, the planning system is complex, so it is vital that NHS Trusts and CCGs seek independent professional advice to ensure all contribution requests are well evidenced in order to comply with the regulations. This way, we can ensure new developments are sustainable in accordance with current Government policy.
For more information, please contact Leenamari Aantaa-Collier on 0121 710 5934 or at [email protected]
