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This decision updates the Cotswold Beechwoods Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
mitigation fees by 14.68% in line with Retail Price Index (RPI)
(ONS), ensuring the contribution levels remain consistent with
those applied across all participating authorities. All local
planning authorities (LPAs) affected by the Strategy have agreed to
apply the same RPI?based uplift to maintain consistency in
mitigation funding. The new rates will apply from 1st
April 2026.
 

Reasons for the decision

There is a legal requirement to mitigate impacts on the
Beechwoods SAC. The Cotswolds
Beechwoods Mitigation Strategy was
adopted first by Stroud in October 2022 and then subsequently by
the other relevant councils. Cheltenham Cabinet adopted the
Strategy 2nd April
2024.

The Strategy details the original costs for the Strategic Access
Management Monitoring (SAMM); Strategic Alternative Natural
Greenspace (SANGS), these are consistent across all the affected
LPAs. The LPAs also charge an administrative/legal fee, and in some
instances, there is also a monitoring fee.

The fees need to be increased in line with inflation reflecting
with the provision set out in the Strategy. Indexation has been
applied from October 2022, the point at which the Strategy was
first adopted by Stroud District Council. An RPI increase of 14.68%
has been applied, calculated from RPI All
Items Index: Jan 1987=100 - Office for National Statistics.
This shows that in October 2022 the RPI index was 356.2 whereas it
had increased by 52.3 points (14.68%) to 408.5 by December
2025.
 

Section 106 Fee Structure

Two S106 routes exist, each requiring different levels of
administration and monitoring.

i)            
Where the Mitigation Contribution is paid on completion of the S106, the administration/legal fee is
lower due to minimal ongoing officer involvement.

ii)           
Where payment is on commencement of
development, additional legal checks and future monitoring are
required, giving rise to a higher administration/legal fee plus a
monitoring fee.

 

Revised costs from 1 April 2026 where Payment of the
Mitigation Contribution is on Completion of the S106

 

Current Charging Rate

Proposed Charging Rate from 1 April
2026

Admin / Legal Fee

£125.00

£143.35

Strategic Access Management and
Monitoring

£193.00

£221.33

Cotswold Beechwoods
SANG

£480.00

£550.46

Total

£798.00

£915.15

 

Revised costs from 1 April where Payment of the
Mitigation Contribution is on Commencement of
Development

 

Current Charging Rate

Proposed Charging Rate from 1 April
2026

Admin / Legal Fee

£310.00

£355.51

Monitoring Fee

£200.00

£229.36

Strategic Access Management and
Monitoring

£193.00

£221.33

Cotswold Beechwoods
SANG

£480.00

£550.46

Total

£1,183.00

£1,356.68

 
 

Background information:

Cotswold Beechwoods SAC Recreation Mitigation Strategy, May
2022

Cabinet Report, 2 April
2024 relating to the adoption of the Cotswold Beechwoods SAC Recreation Mitigation
Strategy

RPI All Items Index: Jan
1987=100 - Office for National Statistics.
 

Alternative options considered

Not to update the costs. This approach would mean
that charges no longer reflect inflation as measured by the RPI,
leading to a real?terms reduction in their value.