Pre-Application Advice - Schedule of Pre-Application Advice Fees

Large Scale Major development

• Residential development of 200 or more houses or where the number of houses is not known the site area is 4 hectares or more;
• New floorspace of 10,000 sqm or more or where the site area is 2 hectares or more;
• Development subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

£2056 (including VAT). This would cover a site visit, up to three 1-hour meetings with the case officer and one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Medium scale major development

• Residential development of between 50 and 199 houses (inclusive) or where the number of houses is not known the site area if between 1.5 hectares and 4 hectares (inclusive)
• New floorspace of between 2,500 and 9,999 square metres or where the site area is more than 1.5 hectare and less than 2 hectares (inclusive).

£1411 (including VAT). This would cover a site visit, up to two 1-hour meetings with the case officer and one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Small scale major development

• Residential development of between 10 and 49 houses (inclusive) or where the number of houses is not known the site area is between 0.5 hectares and 1.5 hectares (inclusive)
• New floorspace of between 1,000 and 2,499 square metres or where the site area is more than 1 hectare and less than 1.5 hectares (inclusive).

£931 (including VAT). This would cover a site visit, up to two 1-hour meetings with the case officer and one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Minor development e.g.

• Residential development of between 3 and 9 dwellings or where the number of houses is not known the site area is below 0.5 hectares (inclusive);
• New floorspace of between 300 square metres and 1,000 square metres or where the site area is between 0.2 and 1 hectare (inclusive);
• Telecommunications development

£595 (including VAT).  This would cover a site visit, one 1-hour meeting with the case officer and one letter

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

All other development (excluding Householder):

• Residential development of 1 or 2 dwellings;
• New floorspace of less than 300 square metres (inclusive);
• Change of use of existing buildings;
• Planning permission for relevant demolition in a conservation area;
• Advert Consent.

£265 (including VAT).  This would cover a site visit, one 1-hour meeting with the case officer and one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Householder Enquiries

• Proposals which do need planning permission (request for this information can be made for a further fee of £62 including VAT – see “Do I Need Planning Permission?” web page) and only include alterations to existing buildings/structures.

£71 (including VAT).  This would cover one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Variation of a s106 legal agreement enquires

• Varying part of a signed s106 agreement

£59 (including VAT).  This would cover one letter.

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

Tree enquiries

• Proposals to trees within the curtilage of domestic properties 
• For non-domestic properties, a bespoke charging schedule (based on officer time) and programme of works can be prepared.  

£78 (including VAT).  This would cover one letter (and a site visit if it is necessary).

Fixed fee and hourly rate for follow-up advice to be agreed.

In instances where a development proposal may fall within two categories (it may, for example, require both planning permission and an associated Listed Building Consent), the higher fee is payable as opposed to an aggregated payment.

The fees detailed above are not applicable to the following:

• Listed Building Consent
• Works to a Listed Building, which is identified as a Building at Risk by the Council’s Conservation team or on the National Register (to include new development linked to the re-use of such a building).
• Parish/Town Councils who are the named applicant (and can demonstrate that they have an interest in the proposal) unless it is classed as a “small/medium/large scale major development” proposal
• Registered disabled persons who are the named applicant (and can demonstrate that they have an interest in the proposal) for works that are directly related to their residence and/or their new home.

Any additional meetings required will be charged to cover the officer(s) time and will be costed on an hourly rate.

In order to speed up the planning process particularly relative to major developments, It is the Council’s preference that additional meetings are programmed in at the beginning of the process through the use of a Planning Performance Agreement or a bespoke charging schedule/programme of works. The charges for additional meetings will be based upon the required officer attendance and are charged at an hourly rate which is available upon request.