Consultation on Planning Fee Increases

The Government is consulting on proposals to increase planning fees and to improve the performance of local planning authorities, until 25th April 2023. The proposals are as follows -

• increase planning fees by 35% for major applications and 25% for all other applications additional fees for bespoke of 'fast track' services

• make an annual inflation-related adjustment to planning fees

• ring-fence additional fees income

• double fees for retrospective applications

• remove the ‘free-go’ for repeat applications

• introduce a prior approval fee for the permitted development right allowing the Crown to develop sites within the perimeter of a closed defence site

• build planning capacity and capability within local authorities, including challenges in recruitment and retention, and how these can be addressed

• reduce the Planning Guarantee from 26 weeks to 16 weeks for non-major applications

• improve the quality of the local authority planning service by monitoring more performance measures.

In addition, Planning Portal fees are increasing from early May (date to be confirmed) when the new ‘administration’ fee for submitting a planning or other application electronically via the Planning Portal will be £53.33 + VAT (£64 incl. VAT).