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Surrey
Heath Borough Council Surrey Police Woking Area
Primary Care Trust Surrey County
Council |
NEWS
RELEASE |
Pre-Application
Planning Advice Available at Surrey Heath Borough Council
The report to Surrey Heath Borough Council’s Executive on Tuesday
29th November 2005, outlined a charging scheme for pre-application advice
in respect of major planning proposals.
Surrey Heath Borough Council suspended the service earlier this year due
to staff shortages and the service improvement review the Built Environment
section is currently undergoing.
The Executive agreed (subject to call-in) to reintroduce the pre-application advice service in January 2006, to all potential applicants, but with a charging regime to cover the additional work required in respect of major applications.
This is because it is acknowledged that good quality planning advice to potential applicants prior to the formal submission of a planning application can speed up the development process and avoid unacceptable proposals coming forward which wastes both the applicant’s time and planning officers time.
A standard charge for pre-application advice is £150 and assumes a meeting of approximately 1 hour. Meetings which cannot be concluded within 1 hour, but are expected to take up 2-3 hours (‘half day’ meetings) will require a fee of £500.
For all categories of minor applications such as householder extensions, advertisements, and minor changes of use the service is provided free of charge.
The fee must be submitted before the meeting takes place and it covers administration costs, research time in respect of planning history, the meeting and the preparation and issuing of the Statement of Advice. Initially the number of appointments will be restricted and allocated on a first come, first served basis - this is due to the current recruitment efforts that are still ongoing. As more staff are recruited to the service, more appointment times will become available.
Cllr. Terry King, Surrey Heath’s Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services said, “I am absolutely delighted to be able to put back into place the service of pre-application planning advice. Whilst we are charging for major developments it is important to note that not everyone will be charged, as it depends on the size of the scheme. Charging for such a service helps us cover our costs and is undertaken by other Local Authorities - this is done under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2003. The Council welcomes and encourages discussions before you submit your application.”
For further information about
the Planning service at Surrey Heath Borough Council please visit the
Council’s website www.surreyheath.gov.uk – Look under ‘Planning’.
Alternatively please contact the Council directly on 01276 707222 or email
enquiries@surreyheath.gov.uk
For further information or photographs contact:
Amanda Gow, Press & Communications Officer 01276 707312
Jenni Wheller, Communications Assistant 01276 707415
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