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Planning updates
5 February 2025

Upcoming increases in planning application fees

The Government recently announced that planning application fees for certain categories of developments will increase on 1st April 2025 as follows:

 Type of developmentCurrent fee (£)New fee from 1st April 2025 (£)
1Enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a single dwellinghouse258528
2Enlargement, improvement or other alteration of two or more dwellinghouses5091,043
3Prior approval applications that do not involve building operations120240
4Prior approval applications that involve building operations258516
5Prior approvals relating to the change of use of commercial, business and service uses to residential125 per dwelling250 per dwelling
6Approval of details reserved by conditions for householder developments4386
7Approval of details reserved by conditions for any other development145298
8Submission of a biodiversity net gain plan145298
9New fee category for applications to vary permission for a householder development  86
10New fee category for applications to vary a permission for a non-major development other than a householder permission 586
11New fee category for applications to vary permission for a major development 2,000

Due to this upcoming fee increase, local planning authorities are likely to be inundated with planning applications in an attempt to beat the 1st April deadline.  Therefore, we advise developers to not wait until the last minute, given that significant time is required to put together material for submitting valid applications.

Grey Belt land

The Government revised the National Planning Policy Framework on 12th December 2024 by introducing, among other things, a category of land in the Green Belt called ‘Grey Belt’ which is intended to simplify the usual strict restrictions against new development.

The revised national policy defines Grey Belt land as land in the Green Belt comprising “previously developed land” or land that does not “strongly contribute” to three of the five purposes of including land in the Green Belt excluding certain designated land specifically identified in this policy.

As a result of the change in national policy in this respect, we at Robinson & Hall are of the opinion that there is an opportunity to revisit previous applications that might have been rejected as a result of being considered inappropriate in the Green Belt.

To date, two appeal decisions have been allowed by planning inspectors applying the concept of Grey Belt land.

Spring consultations on more permitted development rights for the conversion and change of use of barns to farm shops and holiday lets

In a recent speech, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) Secretary, Steve Reed, announced that the Government will consult in the spring on national planning reforms to make it quicker for farmers to construct farm buildings, barns and other infrastructure they need to boost their food production.

Mr Reed remarked that planning rules ‘’have got in the way for too long”, hence the Government will ensure permitted development rights work for farmers so they can convert larger barns into a farm shop, a holiday let, or sports facility.

Compulsory purchase process and compensation reforms

The Government is running a consultation till 13th February 2025 to seek views on reforming the compulsory purchase process and compensation rules aimed at implementing technical reforms to make the process cheaper, quicker and fairer.

The consultation paper explains that compulsory purchase is the power to acquire land and property without the consent of the owner and is an important land assembly tool needed to help deliver social, environmental and economic change in the public interest.

The Government states that it is concerned there is a significant amount of suitable land available for housing which is currently lying vacant or underutilised and not coming forward for development or, where it is coming forward for development, the provision of affordable housing offered on those sites is below the minimum ask of the local authority.

For more information or to find out how our planning team can help you, please contact Abel Bunu.

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