Planning app fees and local council

[Raine]

 

Two questions for you all please:

 

1.  Is the local council (England) allowed to set its own fees for planning applications?  My understanding is not, and that this is set nationally?  

 

2. Anyone ever heard of the Planning Portal calculating application fees incorrectly, assuming the applicant has ticked the correct boxes?

 

 

Context

 

I've just submitted a single application including:

• A single new house (Category 1), applicable fee £578, and
• Alteration / extension to existing house (Category 6 / 7a), applicable fee £258

 

In the Planning Portal fee calculator, I ticked the boxes for both of these components, and it calculated the fee at £578 total (plus the portal admin fee), which is what I paid.  This seems to align with the gov.uk guidance in the "Fees for mixed development" calculation flowchart, from gov.uk, attached here, in which every combination of mixed-category development ends up with only one of the fees (whichever is highest) being due.  That's correct, right?  If you read it, is there any way it can be construed that both fees are due?

 

The council declared my application invalid, saying that the fee due is £578 plus £258.

 

I have mailed them twice now with appropriate links and attachments, and they don't even seem to be reading my mails properly.  😞

 

I will keep trying, but wanted to sanity check with you guys before I take it further. in case I might be wrong??

 

Planning app fees for mixed development 2014-Oct.pdf

[nod]

I think we paid around £800 last time

and similar this time 

Probably the best value for money Out of the  whole build 

[BigBub]

From my experience, the Planning portal calculator tends to always get the fee right, assuming you've selected the right categories.

 

Is the new house and the house to be altered on the same site, within the same red line boundary? From my understanding, when an application falls within 2 categories, you will usually pay the higher of the two fees, rather than a combination. I would definitely be directing the council to the mixed development flowchart, and if they still did not agree, I personally would appeal for non-determination after 8 weeks.

[DevilDamo]

One application, one fee. It would be different if you were submitting two separate applications as you would end up paying £578.00 plus £129.00 (50% of the HH fee).

[Raine]

Thanks @BigBub and @DevilDamo - that matches my understanding.

 

It is within the same red line boundary - currently a single plot on the land reg, and will need to demolish part of the existing house to make way for the new one.  All being done in one single application.

 

I'll keep trying then.  

 

It is made even harder by the fact that the Planning department's phone lines have been having issues for at least the past 3-4 months - most of the time you get a "number not recognised" message when you call, and they don't seem to be able to dial out when WFH either, so the only available comms are calling the council central call centre and getting them to send a message, or email (not very helpful when they don't properly read the email!!).  Hopeless!!!  😞

 

[Raine]

Got another mail from the planning dept saying that they have "removed the request for the additional fee", so all sorted.

 

That's four days of stress and worry that I could have done without!

 

Now I just have a further 8wks (minimum) of even more stress and worry about whether the app will actually be granted!!  😨

[AppleDown]

2 hours ago, Raine said:

Got another mail from the planning dept saying that they have "removed the request for the additional fee", so all sorted.

 

That's four days of stress and worry that I could have done without!

 

Now I just have a further 8wks (minimum) of even more stress and worry about whether the app will actually be granted!!  😨

We're on month 8 now - good luck

[Alan Ambrose]

@Raine FYI - see https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics

 

Look up table P153 and then your LPA - you should see the '% processed within 8 weeks or agreed time' number.

[Raine]

Yes, I am unfortunately well aware of the dire stats for apps being determined within 8wks.  My last one took 8.5 months.  😞

 

Really good link though @Alan Ambrose - I will save this for future reference.  Thanks!!

 

Both my previous LPA and my current one are showing about 45% apps determined within 8wks, so I'm not holding out much hope!

 

I watched with great interest Gove's speech on this topic in the autumn - I wonder when, if at all, if will start to have an impact?

 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Alan Ambrose said:

'% processed within 8 weeks or agreed time'

When the comment comes that you can agree extra time, or risk refusal, that bumps the 'in time' statistic up.

I've agreed sometimes and refused at others.....with client agreement to the delay/risk.

 

24 minutes ago, Raine said:

Gove's speech on this topic in the autumn

Unless he is organising additional training for more planners, and funds for LA's it is simply words,as he will be well aware. And changing/slackening  any rules or processes will have other repercussions unless very carefully considered and managed. As I write this I realise I can't remember what he said......because I immediately discounted it.