Planning Fees are Increasing!

The Statutory Instrument with respect to an increase in planning fees was made on 20^th December 2017 and comes into force on 17^th January 2018. Planning fees are to increase by 20%. The Statutory Instrument has also introduced a fee for the submission of a Permission in Principle application. The Town and Country Planning (Permission in Principle) (Amendment) Order 2017 was made on 19^th December 2017 and comes into force on the 1^st June 2018. This introduces secondary legislation that allows landowners and developers to apply for a Permission in Principle, or Pip, rather than the only current mechanism for this being through Local Planning Authorities granting the Pip under Part 2 of the brownfield land register.

Interesting times ahead as to whether a Pip provides sufficient certainty for developers with respect to establishing the principle of development in the absence of technical work having been carried out, and whether the Pips will increase permissions given for housing and increase delivery overall. We will then all need to grapple with the difference between a Pip and technical detailed consent versus outline and reserved matters! The Pip will be a more cost effective way of establishing the permission of principle in terms of a reduced planning application fee at the start and a reduced determination period of 5 weeks but I am not convinced it will be a particularly positive tool to support the development industry in the construction of housing, so let’s just wait and see…

If you would like any advice regarding Pips then please give us a call in the office, where we would be more than happy to provide some friendly advice.

Further information on the changes in application fees can be found here:

https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/english_application_fees.pdf

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/1309/made