Notice Of Motion - Planning Fees

Motion as voted upon

RESOLVED to invite the Minister to urgently review the fees regulations for Planning Services to allow for local fee setting and the delivery of the full cost recovery principle for Development Management, and to consider the following propositions:

· Planning application fees based on full cost recovery, amended annually in line with inflation.

· Free “second go” applications following withdrawal or refusal should be removed and replaced with a 50% fee. This would promote pre-application engagement and better-quality initial planning application submissions, whilst addressing the financial cost of processing re-submissions.

· Where a landowner is in breach of planning control, doubling the fee for retrospective applications, where development has taken place without any planning permissions being sought.

· Where a landowner is in breach of planning control but refuses to submit a retrospective application and enforcement action is not expedient, the local Planning Authority be given powers to fine the transgressor, possibly double the relevant planning application fee.

· Remove the requirement to advertise individual planning applications in the print media or transfer the cost of doing so to applicants.

· Unless properly funded, Local Planning Authorities should not be required to submit a Local Impact Report for Developments of National Significance, (Planning performance agreements with developers do not provide for full cost recovery) nor should they be “required” to attend an Examination in Public.

· Landowners promoting sites within the LDP be required to pay an appropriate fee. This will not only assist the Council financially but will hopefully ensure that those putting sites forward are serious about their delivery and the benefits the allocations, for affordable housing etc. bring to our communities.