Planning Consultations –
New consultations launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
⇒ Increasing planning fees and performance: technical consultation
This consultation seeks views on proposals to increase planning fees and to improve the performance of local planning authorities. This includes proposals to:
- increase planning fees by 35% for major applications and 25% for all other applications
- additional fees for bespoke or ‘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.
The consultation will close at 11.45pm on 25 April 2023 and more information can be found here.
⇒Permitted development rights: supporting temporary recreational campsites, renewable energy and film-making
This consultation is seeking views on proposals relating to permitted development rights. This includes a new right which would allow for the temporary use of land for recreational campsites.
To support the British energy security strategy, DLUHC are consulting on changes to the existing solar rights and proposing the introduction of a new right to allow the construction of solar canopies above existing off-street car parks in non-domestic settings.
The consultation also proposes changes to the existing rights for film-making and local authority led development.
The consultation will close at 11:45pm on 25 April 2023 and more information can be found here.
