The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) wishes to commission an assessment of the value and on-going role of section 106 agreements / planning obligations.

The specific objectives of this research project are to:

• update evidence on the current value of planning obligations.

• gather evidence on the impact of S106 agreements on development viability across a range of different development types and sizes.

• explore, in particular, the value of affordable housing delivered through S106 (around 50% of the total value in 2007/08) and the impact of affordable housing 'asks' on development,

• consider the likely impact of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) on S106 benefits, the future relationship between CIL and S106, with a specific focus on the new rules governing the use of S106 introduced in 2010, that limit the number of obligations that can be 'pooled'.

• look at the complexity of negotiating and drafting S106 agreements. Within the existing legislation, is there scope for more standardised agreements that can be agreed and drafted more easily to reduce delays and costs.