Planning pernmission, enquiry fees?

lostinrates

Anyone come across this before?

I've found what good be a good prospect for us but would need planning permission. All the other councils I've spoken to have been happy to have a five minute chat about the prospects and whether they would be pleased to see an outline application, or not, for that property, but the council in this case will not answer even basic enquiries about policy and say any enquiry, not application for outline planning, but an ENQUIRY, must be made in wrtiting and a fee of £380 is payable, with a ten working day turnaround.

I'm not the only potential buyer, and in the long term I guess £380 is not so big compared to the project we are considering undertaking, but I'd feel a bit peeved if I submit this to day and an offer from another interested party is acvcepted and I'm out of pocket in the mean time-although I'd accept its the seller's perogative. Also the 'enquiry' then becomes a public document, so other vendors receive benefit of our fee, potentially to bid against us!

I'm a bit grumpy about this, and its a new one on me, so I wondered if this increasingly common with other councils?

dgl1001

This is becoming more and more common now. Some councils we deal with want us to pay £1600 per hour for simple advice. madness.

Doozergirl

I read about it last week.

You might be better off with a planning consultant which would cost about 70 pounds an hour, I also read!

lostinrates

dgl1001 wrote: »

This is becoming more and more common now. Some councils we deal with want us to pay £1600 per hour for simple advice. madness.

Agrh.:eek: Not worth trying to charm a planning officer by asking him to meet me on site and flattering with how much I appreciate their guidance and bowling him over with my passion and zeal for our vision then?:rotfl:

I'm increasingly thinking we should get a priofessional involved for even the enquiry, but not sure who to go to really.

socrates

lostinrates wrote: »

Anyone come across this before?

I've found what good be a good prospect for us but would need planning permission. All the other councils I've spoken to have been happy to have a five minute chat about the prospects and whether they would be pleased to see an outline application, or not, for that property, but the council in this case will not answer even basic enquiries about policy and say any enquiry, not application for outline planning, but an ENQUIRY, must be made in wrtiting and a fee of £380 is payable, with a ten working day turnaround.

I'm not the only potential buyer, and in the long term I guess £380 is not so big compared to the project we are considering undertaking, but I'd feel a bit peeved if I submit this to day and an offer from another interested party is acvcepted and I'm out of pocket in the mean time-although I'd accept its the seller's perogative. Also the 'enquiry' then becomes a public document, so other vendors receive benefit of our fee, potentially to bid against us!

I'm a bit grumpy about this, and its a new one on me, so I wondered if this increasingly common with other councils?

Have you thought of planning_officer - he normally gives very good advice - normally logs on late every night

lostinrates

socrates wrote: »

Have you thought of planning_officer - he normally gives very good advice - normally logs on late every night

Yes, I've pmed him already, and he's offered to give a little advice but I'm going to have quite specific enquiries and I doubt I'm lucky enough to have struck his area, so I'm googling for professionals right now. Its a new area, so I have no opportunity to ask some one I know for a personal recommendation.

It seems to be to be very biased towards the professional applicant this business.

Planner

Working in the profession, I have also found that it is becoming more common for authorities to charge for pre-application advice.

If you get a professional to look at it for you, then all they will be able to do is a desk top check of the various policies and applications that relate to the site. If there are specific questions that need answering by the council then they are also going to have to cough up the £380 which is going to be ultimatley passed onto you along with their hourly fees (you wouldnt get a planner for less than £110 an hour at my place).

You want to me the Council in question and I will see if I have any contacts there?

lostinrates

Planner wrote: »

Working in the profession, I have also found that it is becoming more common for authorities to charge for pre-application advice.

If you get a professional to look at it for you, then all they will be able to do is a desk top check of the various policies and applications that relate to the site. If there are specific questions that need answering by the council then they are also going to have to cough up the £380 which is going to be ultimatley passed onto you along with their hourly fees (you wouldnt get a planner for less than £110 an hour at my place).

You want to me the Council in question and I will see if I have any contacts there?

WOW, thank you.

Ultimately, I think we are going to need a professional to help us at some point anyway, so I guess maybe building a realtionship with them from this point might be not a bad idea?

I'll PM you now, and again , thanks, what a very kind person you are!

Planner

lostinrates wrote: »

WOW, thank you.

Ultimately, I think we are going to need a professional to help us at some point anyway, so I guess maybe building a realtionship with them from this point might be not a bad idea?

I'll PM you now, and again , thanks, what a very kind person you are!

Yep let me know and I will see what I can do.

Paul

lostinrates

Planner wrote: »

Yep let me know and I will see what I can do.

Paul

Thank you, have PMed.

As a prolific user of MSE, and a 'resident' of the rowdy recession board- where any of the regulars are wonderful, but we are a bit...bumptious cmpared to other, more collegiate boards here-so my heart is warmed when people are prepared to give a little of their knowledge and time to helpng other people with specific questions. Its a kindness that shouldn't go unthanked.

Planner

lostinrates wrote: »

Thank you, have PMed.

As a prolific user of MSE, and a 'resident' of the rowdy recession board- where any of the regulars are wonderful, but we are a bit...bumptious cmpared to other, more collegiate boards here-so my heart is warmed when people are prepared to give a little of their knowledge and time to helpng other people with specific questions. Its a kindness that shouldn't go unthanked.

Ive PMed back.

Wont be able to respond further until tommorrow now.