Planning advice services

Charges list

Pre-application advice service charges

These tables show the pre-application service charges for different development types. These charges have been in place since 1 April 2024. All charges are inclusive of VAT.

There is no charge for applications where the planned works are solely to provide access to a house for a disabled resident.

• Householder applications

  Development type	What this includes	What you can expect from us	Fixed charge	Optional additional services and charges
  Householder applications	Extensions and other works to one house or flat only, involving less than 100sqm of floor space	confirmation email or letter for valid corporate enquiries formal advice letter	£239.70	£239.70 - per site visit (1 hour)   £239.70 - per meeting with a planning officer   £239.70 - for attendance at a meeting by an additional Officer, for example, a Design and Conservation or Transport Planner
  Renewable energy installation (householder)	Householder technical assistance with: renewable energy installations  sustainable transport installations, such as cycle storage	Telephone conversation or email exchange with a planning officer for assistance on permitted development rights and application process for solar panels, heat pumps, insulation and cladding and sustainable transport installations such as cycle storage.	Free	None
  Listed Buildings (householder)	Technical assistance with restoration and conservation works	Telephone conversation with a conservation officer for assistance on what guidance is available on the council’s website.	Free	£239.70 - for a confirmation email or letter providing technical advice
  Listed Buildings (householder)	Development of a Listed Building (extensions or internal alterations)	confirmation email or letter for valid corporate enquiries formal advice letter	£239.70	£239.70 - per site visit    £239.70 - per meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers

• Small-scale developments

  Development type	What this includes	What you can expect from us	Fixed charge	Optional additional services and charges
  Minor applications	full planning proposals involving 1-6 homes new build or extensions of 100-499sqm (any use class) including change of use	meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter	£419.40 for: each new home each 100sqm of commercial floorspace each condition each amendment	£239.70 - per follow up meeting and letter for: each new home each 100sqm of commercial floor space each condition each amendment
  Telecoms Masts and Equipment		meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter	£419.40	£239.70 - per follow up meeting and letter
  Shop fronts, signs and adverts for a shop (attached to a business premises)		site visit OR meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers formal advice letter	£419.40	£239.70 - per meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers    £239.70 - per site visit   £239.70 - attendance by an additional Officer eg Design and Conservation or Transport Planner
  Advertisement boards (not attached to a business premise)		meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter	£419.40	£239.70 - per follow up meeting and letter

• Medium-scale developments

  Development type	What this includes	What you can expect from us	Fixed charge	Optional additional services and charges
  Minor applications	proposals involving creation of 7-19 homes new build or extensions of 500- 999sqm (any use class) including change of use	meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter	£3,694.00   (additional technical expertise including viability, legal advice and Section 106 agreements will be charged separately)	£2,396.50 - per follow-up meeting and letter
  Advice on planning conditions, non-material amendments, and minor material amendments		meeting with a planning officer and/or other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter	£3,694.00 (additional technical expertise including viability, legal advice and Section 106 agreement will be charged separately)	£2,396.50 - per follow up meeting and letter

• Large-scale developments

  Development type	What this includes	What you can expect from us	Fixed charge	Optional additional services and charges
  Major applications	proposals involving 20-49 homes new build or extensions of 1000- 9,999sqm (any use class) including change of use advice on planning conditions, non-material amendments, and minor material amendments	meeting with a planning officer and other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter negotiations on planning obligations and likely CIL Liability Where appropriate: Members Briefing design Review Panel	£8,387.70   (Additional technical expertise including viability, legal advice and Section 106 agreement will be charged separately)	£3,594.80 - per follow up meeting and letter
  Major applications	Advice on EIA scoping or screening.	Specialist advice on EIA scoping or screening for major development proposals.	£3,594.80
  Strategic applications	proposals involving 50 or more homes; new build or extensions above 10,000sqm (any use class) including change of use advice on planning conditions, non-material amendments, and minor material amendments	meeting with a planning officer and other specialist officers site visit formal advice letter negotiations on planning obligations and likely Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) liability Where appropriate: Members Briefing design Review Panel	£16,775.40   (Additional technical expertise including viability, legal advice and Section 106 agreement will be charged separately)	£6,000.00 per follow up meeting
  Strategic applications	Advice on EIA scoping or screening.	Specialist advice on EIA scoping or screening for strategic development proposals.	£4,793.00
  Discharge of conditions and Section 106 agreement obligations	Appropriate for schemes with multiple conditions and obligations to discharge.	Bespoke service to be agreed with the Development Manager a Post Planning Decision Performance Agreement pro-forma is available. This will set out officer commitments in terms of timing and resourcing for the discharge of conditions and obligations	£599.20 - per condition or obligation	None
  Meeting with a specialist Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) officer	Appropriate for schemes with multiple phases and/or complex payment schedules.	Bespoke service including a series of meetings to be agreed with the Development Manager/CIL Manager. This will provide advice on CIL liabilities and exemptions and payment schedules.	£5,000	£2,500 - per follow-up meeting
  Introductory or explanatory meeting with the Director and/or Head of Service	Appropriate for larger and more complex schemes.	The provision of an initial informal steer on major applications from the Director/Head of Service.	£2,000	None
  Planning Performance Agreements (PPA)	Appropriate for the largest or strategic development proposals in the borough, such as development relating to the delivery of Local Plan site allocations.	Bespoke service including a series of meetings to be agreed upon with the Development Manager. A Planning Performance Agreement pro-forma is available and will include pre-application discussions, application to determination, and if appropriate, the discharge of conditions and obligations.	To be agreed and based on the council’s proposed charging rates as set out for major and strategic applications (whichever is relevant). This will be calculated on the basis of the cost of an initial meeting and an agreed number of follow ups. In addition, the Planning Performance Agreement may also include charging for specialist consultant fees including viability, legal advice, and Section 106.	None
  The implementation and monitoring of Demolition and Construction Management Plans	Appropriate for schemes with Demolition and Construction Management Plans	To be agreed with the applicant based on the charging schedule published by the Highways Network Development Team. Charges will be bespoke to the site and provided in the form of a bond.	Highways will manage a log of costs and calculate the final charge and return any underspend.	None

Planning application amendment service charges

This table shows the planning application amendment service charges for different development types. Charges apply once per amendment application. 

The listed charges apply where the council receives a request for material amendments to live applications where no pre-application advice was sought.

There is no charge to amend an application where the planned works are solely to provide access to a house for a disabled resident.

Page last updated: 23 April 2024