Councils still levying boom-time era charges

Almost half of councils in the country are holding onto boom-time era development charges despite orders to cut them to boost housebuilding activity.

The income of the councils from charges for providing roads, car parking, parks and landscaping for new development had dwindled to a trickle due to the property crash.

The aim of the government's policy was to kickstart the development of sustainable housing by cutting development charges by up to 66 ...