Payment service and nomination
Payment service and nomination
Our payment service standardises the process of paying for applications across all authorities, providing a consistent range of options. The service was first introduced in 2018.
Key benefits
The service gives all applicants and agents the ability to pay planning application fees by various methods regardless of which local authority they are submitting to. These payments are confirmed instantly, allowing the application to be submitted.
Integrated into our payment service is the Nominate option allowing you to nominate another person to pay application fees online (e.g. your client or finance department).
Payments can be made online or by phone for applications up to £1,000. For larger fees, bank transfers are available.
A faster, more streamlined way to handle batch payments on the Planning Portal - designed to benefit both agents and their finance departments.
Note: By prior agreement only - Unless an agreement and account configuration is in place, all applications must be paid for individually.
Our payment service helps resolve the issue of invalid planning applications on receipt due to missing payments. It ensures that payment has been confirmed, regardless of method, before the application is made available to the local authority. Therefore authorities will be able to begin validation of your applications as soon as they receive them, saving time spent chasing payments.
As part of this, we are committed to a roadmap of improvements that will:
- keep our services current and compliant
- allow an increasing range of consent types to be applied for online
- enhance all aspects of the process, from collaborative working and professional functions to supporting documentation and management of local level requirements
- increase the quality of our data outputs for local authorities, professional users and applicants
Our service charge
Planning Portal application types sit within three bands, reflecting our assessment of their complexity and the level of capability typically required to support them.
- Band 0 - £0 for eligible application types there is no Planning Portal charge
- Band 1 - £99 inc VAT for less complex application types
- Band 2 - £149 inc VAT for application types with more complex requirements and greater platform capabilities.
The majority of applications received through Planning Portal will either be free or cost £99 inc VAT.
|
Application type | Planning Portal band |
| Demolition in a conservation area | Band 0 |
| Hedgerow removal notice | Band 0 |
| Lawful development – Listed building | Band 0 |
| Listed building consent | Band 0 |
| Tree works – Trees in conservation areas/subject to TPOs | Band 0 |
|
Householder planning permission – Work within/along the boundary of an existing dwelling | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Agricultural/forestry development (England – Part 6; Wales – Part 6 or 7) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Demolition of building (England – Part 11; Wales – Part 31) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Householder (England – Part 1) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – National security purposes (England – Part 19) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Non-domestic development (England – Part 7) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Renewable energy (England – Part 14) | Band 1 |
|
Prior Approval – Temporary buildings and uses (England – Part 4 | Band 1 |
| Discharge of conditions | Band 0 or Band 1 – depends on development type/scale |
| Approval of reserved matters | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development type/scale |
| Consent to display an advertisement | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on advertisement type(s) |
| Full planning permission (and Technical details consent) | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development type/scale |
| Lawful development – Existing use | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development type/scale |
| Lawful development – Proposed use | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development type/scale |
| Non-Material Amendment | Band 0 or Band 1 – depends on development type/scale |
| Prior Approval – Change of use (England – Part 3) | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development type/scale |
| Prior Approval – New dwellinghouses (England – Part 20) | Band 1 or Band 2 – depends on development scale |
| Removal/Variation of a condition | England: Band 0, 1 or 2; Wales: Band 0 or 1 – depends on development type/scale |
|
Householder planning permission – Enlarge/improve/alter an existing dwelling | Band 2 |
|
Outline planning permission | Band 2 |
|
Permission in principle | Band 2 |
|
Prior Approval – Development for electronic communications network (England – Part 16; Wales – Part 24) | Band 2 |
All planning applications submitted through the Planning Portal which attract a planning fee of over £100 incur a service charge.
Refunds
As dictated by legislation, all refunds must be issued directly by the party that received payment, to the payee via the same payment method.
We therefore manage the process of issuing refunds based on confirmation from the local authority that one is due.
We will make a refund in accordance with relevant legislation and regulations such as The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017.
If you believe a refund is due, you should discuss it with the local authority who, in turn, will arrange it with us.
Find out more
You can read our step-by-step guide1 to find out how to pay for a planning application yourself or nominate another person to pay.
- https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/Uploads/PPQ_Agent_Walk-through.pdf