Toni Weston
Partner
Article
8
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched two new consultations last week: The first sets out proposals to increase planning fees and improve the capacity and performance of local planning authorities. The second focuses on proposals to change permitted development rights to support, among other things, the UK's renewable energy infrastructure.
In this article, we explore the key points covered under each proposal, how these will affect organisations engaging with local planning authorities and what will happen next.
The changes proposed by the consultation are intended to support local planning authorities by ensuring they have the necessary resources to deliver a service that meets the ambitions for planning reform. In particular, the consultation proposes changes to planning fees from Summer 2023 so that they better meet the costs incurred in delivering a high-quality and timely planning service. The proposed changes include:
The proposed changes would apply to England only.
Recognising that improvements to the planning service cannot be delivered through more money alone, the consultation also proposes:
Further details of the "Technical consultation: Stronger performance of local planning authorities supported through an increase in planning fees" can be found under the open consultations on the www.gov.uk web page. This sets out the scope of the consultation and how to respond before the closing date of 25 April 2023.
The consultation is seeking views on proposals to amend the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as follows:
The proposed changes would apply to England only.
Further details, of the "Permitted development rights: Supporting temporary recreational campsites, renewable energy and film-making consultation", can be found on the www.gov.uk web page, including how to respond by 25 April 2023.
The Government has indicated that the proposed changes to planning fees could be introduced as early as Summer 2023 so developers and landowners should start to allow for these as they work up any new applications, and/or aim to submit any new applications before the increases take effect. It is unlikely, however, that improvements to the planning service will happen as quickly and it could be sometime yet before the reform needed to deliver the planning service industry's needs is achieved.
It is unclear when or if the proposed changes to permitted development rights will be introduced. If they go ahead, however, they offer owners of domestic and non-domestic property the opportunity to become more sustainable and/or to generate income from their land. The proposal to permit solar canopies, in particular, has the potential to have wide application and deliver significant benefits to businesses with car parks that meet the criteria.
Both consultations run for eight weeks from 28 February to 25 April 2023, following which the Government is expected to publish its response, before taking steps to introduce the proposed changes.
If you'd like to discuss any of the points here further, please contact Toni Weston.
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