Breaking Down New Planning Fee Regulations: What You Need to Know

The UK government has introduced new regulations that will significantly alter the fees associated with planning applications in England. Here's a digest of what these changes mean for homeowners, developers, and local authorities.

What's Changing?

1. Increased Fees Across the Board:

   • Householder Applications: Fees for planning applications related to home improvements, such as extensions and loft conversions, will see a substantial increase. The cost for a single dwellinghouse application jumps from £258 to £528—more than doubling the previous fee.
   • Prior Approval Applications: The fee for obtaining prior approval for permitted developments, which are typically simpler than full planning permissions, will double from £120 to £240.
   • Section 73 Applications: These applications, used for varying or removing conditions on existing planning permissions, will now follow a tiered fee structure. For major developments, fees will rise significantly to £2,000.

2. Biodiversity Gain Plans:

   • New regulations clarify fees for submitting Biodiversity Gain Plans, an essential part of meeting statutory biodiversity net gain requirements for developments. This fee rises to £298, ensuring that local planning authorities are better resourced to handle these submissions.

Why the Change?

The government aims to address a funding shortfall in local planning authorities, which affects their ability to provide timely and high-quality services. Despite a previous fee increase in 2023, a substantial gap remains. These new fees are intended to bridge that gap, ensuring local authorities have the resources they need.

Consultation and Feedback:

The fee changes follow extensive consultations, which revealed strong support from local planning authorities for the increases, though less enthusiasm from individual homeowners and community groups. The government balanced these views by adjusting fees in line with the feedback, particularly maintaining lower fees for smaller-scale developments to prevent unauthorized projects.

Future Developments:

While these changes address immediate funding needs, the government plans to introduce legislation allowing local planning authorities to set their own fees, potentially leading to more tailored and sustainable financial models for planning services.

Impact on Stakeholders:

• Homeowners and Developers: Expect higher costs for planning applications, which may influence project budgets. However, the improved funding for local authorities could mean faster and more efficient processing.
• Local Planning Authorities: Stand to gain additional resources, enabling them to enhance service delivery and reduce processing times.
• Small Businesses: While impacted by fee increases, these changes are expected to be minimal in the overall cost of development, with potential benefits from quicker application processing.

In summary, these regulatory changes are a step towards a more sustainable planning system in England, aiming to balance the needs of local authorities with those of applicants, ensuring better service delivery across the board.