Fees for planning applications set by the Scottish Government change today for almost all application types.
This means everything submitted to us from today onwards is affected, including:
‘full’ planning permission
planning permission in principle
certificates of lawfulness
advertisement consent
Amongst the changes, standard ‘householder’ fees increase from £202 to £300, whilst the standard fee for construction of a new dwelling increases from £401 to £600.
Using the ePlanning.scot Fee Calculator is the easiest way to calculate a fee, and can be used without having to log in or to submit an application.
Once you know your correct fee, paying is also easy, and can be done whilst submitting your application on ePlanning.scot.
For those applicants or agents who need to make an additional payment, or for applicants who may wish to pay after their agent has submitted, you can also pay for your planning application online using this link (for a quick guide to using this payment system, have a look at this blog post from November 2020.)
Fees for planning applications set by the Scottish Government change on 1 April 2022 for almost all application types. This means everything submitted to us on or after 1 April 2022 will be affected including:
‘full’ planning permission
planning permission in principle
certificates of lawfulness
advertisement consent
Amongst the changes, the standard ‘householder’ fee increases from £202 to £300, whilst the standard fee for the construction of one new house increases from £401 to £600.
A Non-Material Variation (NMV) application is a proposal to change an approved development that will not significantly alter what was granted planning permission.
We have introduced a new and streamlined way to apply for NMVs, and a new formalised Application Form and Customer Guidance for applying.
We have received almost 90 NMV applications since April & with this new service have been able to process them in a more efficient way.
NMV applications can also be paid for easily at any time using our secure online payment form on our website.
Please do not contact individual case officers with regards to NMVs as all queries and requests are being managed through the new process.
For further details, see this section of the planning web pages:
A Non-Material Variation (NMV) application is a proposal to change an approved development that will not significantly alter what was granted planning permission.
Starting from 1 April 2021, we have introduced a new and streamlined way to apply for NMVs, with a new formalised Application Form and Customer Guidance for applying. It will allow us to process NMVs in a more efficient way.
NMV applications will now also be subject to a charge based on the scale of your development.
Developments which are primarily related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities are exempt.
What is a Non-Material Variation?
NMVs are permitted under Section 64 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, which makes provision for the variation of planning permission once it has been granted, provided the changes are not material.
A non-material variation essentially means that the proposed changes to a development will not significantly alter the scheme that was originally granted planning permission.
When considering a request for a non-material variation, planning officers will consider the cumulative impact of the proposed change alongside any other requests for non-material variations that have been made previously.
What permissions does a NMV relate to?
A non-material variation can only relate to a planning permission that has been granted. It is tied to the original planning permission and is not a new consent.
It is also important that you check and confirm any changes with Building Standards to ensure that any variations proposed in your NMV application still comply with the relevant Building Regulations.
Payments should be made online on our new NMV Payment Page – please note that we cannot accept payments over the phone or by cheque.
If an application for a NMV is successful, we will agree the variation in writing and a copy of the decision letter will be added to the planning portal. The drawings will then constitute the approved drawings for your planning permission. The original permission remains in effect but must be read in conjunction with the variations agreed under the NMV application.
Over the last 7 months, we have spent time putting systems and strategies in place in order to simplify and improve our services so we can continue to provide an excellent service to the city. Along with a lot of the Council, both the Planning & Building Standards services are currently working from home. We have previously blogged about the challenges this has presented and how as we continue to develop, we look at ways to work effectively in this new, remote environment.
This week marks a milestone in these efforts, as we launch a new & easier way to pay online for Planning Applications & Building Warrants.
Planning Applications must still be submitted using eplanning.scot, and you can still pay via this system when you submit. But for those applicants or agents who need to make an additional payment, or for applicants who may wish to pay after their agent has submitted, you can now pay for your planning application online
Similarly, Building Warrants must still be submitted using eBuildingStandards.scot, and you can still pay via this system when you submit. However you can now make a payment post submission where the original fee was either incorrect or if you need to extend the period of validity. Make sure you are paying the correct amount by checking the Building Standards Scale of Fees.
The payment system is safe, secure and easy to use, using gov.pay software that you may already be familiar with. It is available 24/7 from anywhere that has internet, including your smart phone.
A step-by-step guide to using it;
Step 1.
You will need the following;
Your Planning Application number (for example, 20/03230/FUL)
Your Scottish Government reference (for example, 100290191-001)
You will also need to select whether you are the applicant, or the agent. The above information will be on any correspondence from us or your agent should provide it.
Step 2.
You will need to enter the address of your planning application. If your application does not yet have a postal address, enter your Site description (for example, “Land 200m to the North of 123 Edinburgh Street” – this will be on any correspondence you have from us). You must enter at least a Street name & Town.
Step 3.
Enter your contact details, and the amount that you need to pay. The amount you need to pay may be on a letter from us, or if you are an applicant, your agent should advise you. You can always refer to our fees list on our website.
Step 4
You will then be taken to the ‘Enter card details’ page where you can securely enter your card details, much like online shopping or other payment pages. We accept Visa or Maestro, and require the usual card details (Card Number, Expiry Date, Name on card, Card Security Code, Billing Address & Contact Details for your receipt.)
Please note – you can pay for Planning applications, Certificates of Lawfulness & Advertisement Consents. For Building Standards you can pay for Building Warrants, Amendments to Building Warrants & Extensions to Building Warrants. At this point we cannot accept online payment for Planning Pre-application advice.
All done!
We will then pick up your payment and process your application from there.
Follow this blog for further updates as we continue to make service improvements & adapt to challenges and opportunities.
Planning Edinburgh 
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