Pre Planning Charges

From 1 January 2012 Rutland County Council will charge a fee for pre-planning advice for most proposals.  This is intended to cover the cost of this service, which is currently about £25,000

However, the Council wants to make it clear that advice for small household schemes (such as extensions) will remain free of charge.

Councillor Terry King: “Pre-application advice is a non-statutory part of the planning service and it can take up a lot of our Planning Officers’ time when they are providing advice for a significant application like a supermarket or a housing development.  We are introducing a sliding scale of charges from 1 January to cover the cost of doing so, as currently our taxpayers are footing the bill.”

Councillor King added: “This will not make any difference to the way that most residents seek advice from the planning department. If you are putting up a small extension at home or wanting advice about minor matters relating to a conservation area, planning officers will still be more than happy to give you free advice”.

Charges for pre-planning advice for larger planning applications range from £150 to £350 (50 dwellings or more).  Higher charges may apply to more complex proposals.

A full breakdown of the charges and how they will be applied is provided on the Development Control pages of this website.

For more information please contact 01572 722 577.