An enhanced service for dealing with planning applications

We have recently launched a Strategic Sites Team where we are prioritising applications which have Planning Performance Agreement’s in place. If timescales and key dates are really important to your development or you would like priority access to your Planning Officer, a Planning Performance Agreement may be a good option for your development.

A Planning Performance Agreement is a negotiated agreement, signed separately for each stage of a project (pre-application, application, post decision). This is a service offered in addition to the pre-application advice and attracts an additional fee. Entering into a Planning Performance Agreement has a number of advantages for time-critical projects:

• You will receive an enhanced service, with a dedicated Officer to deal with your application
• You will be given contact details for named internal consultees including Education, Highways Development and Lead Local Flood Authority, and so on
• There will be a mutually agreed timetable for your proposal to be brought forward
• A realistic timetable for the size and complexity of the project setting out and agreeing key milestones, including Section 106 (planning obligation) negotiations
• Early identification of problems or unforeseen issues, and advice for resolving these, which should reduce delays

We are not able to include statutory consultees external to the council, such as:

• Historic England
• Natural England
• Environment Agency.

These organisations may offer their own enhanced services and we recommend that you contact them direct for further information.

Fees

There is an initial scoping meeting fee for all Minor or Small major developments (£500) and for Large major developments (£750) to agree the scope of the Planning Performance Agreement and the fee for the project. This will vary dependant on the complexity of the project and degree of support required.

The Planning Performance Agreement is charged on an hourly rate with the scoping meeting designed to enable confirmation of the time required and therefore the cost for the project prior to the Planning Performance Agreement being completed. Fees for the Planning Performance Agreement process will be invoiced directly.

If you decide after the scoping meeting do not want to take up the Planning Performance Agreement service no further payment would be required and your query can be closed down and you can revert to the area teams for the application.

The hourly charges are as set out below:

• Principal Planning Officer Time – £90 per hour
• Senior Manager Time – £120 per hour
• Head of Planning Time – £150 per hour
• Ecology/Highways/LLFA/Heritage/Conservation time – £75 per hour

Once the PPA is confirmed your project is ready to go.

How to apply

If you are interested in a Planning Performance Agreement please complete the Planning Performance Agreement information request below and send the form and any supporting information to StrategicSites@somerset.gov.uk

Planning Performance Agreement information request

DOC, 1.1MB

If you already have an allocated Planning Officer for your scheme, contact them to explain that you are interested in entering into a Planning Performance Agreement.

Otherwise contact:

• planningmineralsandwaste@somerset.gov.uk
• Strategic Sites – StrategicSites@somerset.gov.uk