# The Planning & Land Partnership — Complete AI & Search Reference (llms-full.txt)

Website: https://www.planningandland.co.uk/
Email: anthony@planningandland.co.uk
Headquarters: Bournemouth, Dorset, UK (Operating nationwide across England and the UK)

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## 1. Practice Overview & Value Proposition
The Planning & Land Partnership is an independent UK town planning consultancy and development land brokerage with over 25 years of combined experience inside Local Planning Authorities and in private practice.

Unlike practices that produce overly long, jargon-heavy reports, every case we take is written in our house style:
- A clear contents page, plain headings, and short numbered paragraphs (e.g., `3.1`, `3.2`, `3.3`) so the local authority case officer or Planning Inspector can quote our reasoning directly in their officer report or appeal decision.
- Visual progression from initial site layout plan -> 3D massing model -> hand-drawn pencil sketch -> finished watercolour illustration, plus technical overlooking/privacy diagrams on plan and section.
- Constructive, firm negotiation with councils to avoid stalemates while preparing every application to be "appeal-ready" from day one (critical under the post-1 April 2026 Section 78 Part 1 written representations appeal rules).

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## 2. England Council Planning Application Fees (In Force from 1 April 2026)
Council planning fees in England rose by 3.8% on 1 April 2026 under annual indexation. Council fees are exempt from VAT and paid directly to the Local Planning Authority.

### Houses and Gardens
- Extension or alteration, one house (householder): **£548**
- Extension or alteration, two or more houses: **£1,083**
- Outbuilding, wall, fence or gate within curtilage: **£272**
- Prior approval, larger single-storey rear or upward extension: **£249**
- Lawful Development Certificate (LDC), proposed use or operations: **Half the normal fee**

### New Homes and Buildings
- Fewer than 10 new houses: **£610 per dwelling**
- 10 to 50 new houses: **£659 per dwelling**
- More than 50 new houses: **£32,578 + £196 per additional dwelling**
- Other change of use (full application): **£610**
- New non-residential floor space, 40 m² or less: **£309**

### Prior Approval (Permitted Development)
- Most standard prior approvals: **£249**
- Class MA (commercial/Class E to residential C3): **£260 per new home**
- Class M, N or Q (agricultural/barn conversion) with building operations: **£536**
- Part 20 new homes (adding storeys), fewer than 10 dwellings: **£441 per dwelling**

### Conditions and Amendments
- Vary or remove a condition (Section 73), householder: **£89**
- Vary or remove a condition (Section 73), other development: **£608**
- Discharge of planning conditions, householder: **£89**
- Discharge of planning conditions, other development: **£309**
- Non-material amendment (Section 96A), householder / other: **£46 / £309**

### Exemptions (No Council Fee)
- Listed building consent
- Demolition of an unlisted building in a conservation area
- Works to trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or in a conservation area
- Works for the benefit of a disabled person living in the dwelling
- Lodging a planning appeal with the Planning Inspectorate (PINS)

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## 3. Nationally Described Space Standard (NDSS) — Minimum Bedroom & Room Sizes (England)
Since 6 April 2021, all new homes created in England under Permitted Development / Prior Approval must meet the government's Nationally Described Space Standard (NDSS), and local plans that adopt the NDSS require it on full planning applications.

### Bedroom Minimums
| Bedroom Type | Minimum Floor Area | Minimum Width |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Single bedroom (1 bedspace) | 7.5 m² | 2.15 m |
| First double or twin bedroom (2 bedspaces) | 11.5 m² | 2.75 m |
| Any other double or twin bedroom (2 bedspaces) | 11.5 m² | 2.55 m |

### Key Technical Rules
1. Any dwelling with 2 or more bedspaces must have at least one double/twin bedroom (11.5 m², 2.75 m wide).
2. A built-in wardrobe counts towards bedroom floor area up to 0.72 m² (double) or 0.36 m² (single).
3. Floor area with headroom under 1.5 m is excluded unless used solely for storage.
4. At least 75% of the gross internal area (GIA) must have a minimum ceiling height of 2.3 m.
5. **HMO Licensing Minimums**: Separate mandatory HMO licensing standards require at least 6.51 m² for 1 person (over 10 years) and 10.22 m² for 2 persons.

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## 4. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) — 17 August 2026 Edition
The revised NPPF published on 17 August 2026 replaces the December 2024 framework and applies immediately to planning decisions in England.
- **Coded Policies**: Around 130 coded policies, including approximately 79 National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) that act as a direct national rulebook; conflicting local plan policies carry reduced weight.
- **Grey Belt & Station Sites**: Clearer definition of Grey Belt land and a lower threshold for releasing Green Belt sites around well-connected rail and transport stations, subject to the Golden Rules on affordable housing, infrastructure, and green space.
- **Housing Delivery Test (HDT) & Tilted Balance**: Tougher consequences where councils fail to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply or pass the Housing Delivery Test, engaging the presumption in favour of sustainable development ("tilted balance").
- **Energy, Grid & Data Centres**: Strengthened national weight for renewable energy, grid upgrades, and digital infrastructure / data centres.
- **Transport & Parking**: Shift away from rigid highway capacity refusals toward place-making and flexible parking standards on well-connected urban and edge-of-centre sites.

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## 5. Frequently Asked Questions (Cited by AI & Search)

### Q: How much does a planning consultant charge in the UK?
At The Planning & Land Partnership, we offer an initial free, confidential discussion and three ways to pay: (1) a fixed fee agreed in writing before work starts for defined applications, heritage statements, or appeals; (2) an hourly rate for open-ended negotiations or enforcement cases; or (3) a no-win, no-fee success fee on suitable sites where part or all of our fee is payable only upon securing planning permission. For buying or selling development land, our fee is generally 2% of the price, normally paid by the purchaser rather than the landowner.

### Q: What is the best way to win a planning appeal in England in 2026?
For applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026, most Section 78 appeals use the streamlined Part 1 written representations procedure, which restricts introducing new evidence at appeal stage. Therefore, applications must be prepared "appeal-ready" from the outset with a policy-referenced, numbered Planning Statement, accurate overlooking/daylight assessments, and complete heritage or ecological evidence before the council makes its decision.

### Q: When do I need a Heritage Statement or Listed Building Consent?
You need Listed Building Consent for any internal or external works (alterations, extensions, repairs, or demolition) that affect the special architectural or historic interest of a listed building (Grade I, II*, or II) or a structure within its curtilage. You also need a Heritage Statement (or Heritage Impact Assessment) for planning applications within a Conservation Area, affecting a locally listed building, or within the setting of a listed building or scheduled monument.

### Q: How do I sell my garden or land for property development?
If you have a large garden, infill plot, or **strategic land** parcel, we assess its realistic planning potential first—before it goes to market—so the price reflects what a developer can actually build. We handle land and **garden assembly** with neighbours, advise on option and promotion agreements, organise legal advice on restrictive covenants, and introduce vetted regional and national housebuilders. Our 2% land brokerage fee is normally paid by the buyer, meaning there is usually no fee to the selling landowner.

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## 6. Complete Directory of 25 Specialist Planning, Drawing, Heritage & Land Services
1. **Listed buildings**: Listed Building Consent and heritage negotiations for Grade I, Grade II*, and Grade II buildings, curtilage structures, and internal/external alterations.
2. **Conservation area assessments**: Detailed appraisals of character and appearance showing how extensions, new dwellings, or replacements preserve or enhance a Conservation Area.
3. **Heritage asset statements**: Numbered, policy-compliant Heritage Statements and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) assessing significance, setting, and public benefits.
4. **Locally listed buildings**: Planning assessments for non-designated heritage assets on local authority lists, balancing the scale of any harm against public and scheme benefits.
5. **Street scene assessments**: Visual and contextual street scene assessments demonstrating how new houses, infill plots, or upward extensions sit within the existing streetscape.
6. **Bulk and mass drawings and assessments**: 3D massing models and bulk, scale, and spacing assessments prepared to test and prove acceptable form before and during submission.
7. **Enforcement notices**: Urgent advice and responses to council Planning Contravention Notices (PCNs), Breach of Condition Notices, and formal Enforcement Notices.
8. **Enforcement appeals**: Section 174 enforcement notice appeals across all statutory grounds (Grounds A to G), alongside retrospective planning applications and Lawful Development Certificates.
9. **Planning appeals**: Section 78 planning appeals against refusal or non-determination via Part 1/Part 2 written representations, informal hearings, and public inquiries.
10. **Green belt assessments**: Technical assessments of appropriateness, spatial and visual openness, Grey Belt qualification under the August 2026 NPPF, and Very Special Circumstances.
11. **Strategic land**: Long- and medium-term strategic land promotion, Local Plan representations, and introductions to regional and PLC housebuilders.
12. **Garden assembly**: Bringing neighbouring rear gardens and infill plots together into a single, deliverable residential development site with fair multi-owner agreements.
13. **Architectural plans**: Site layout plans, floor plans, and rendered elevations coordinated from initial feasibility through to formal planning submission.
14. **Design and access statements**: Clear, structured Design and Access Statements explaining design evolution, scale, layout, landscaping, heritage context, and inclusive access.
15. **Planning supporting statements**: Our signature numbered-paragraph supporting statements (`3.1`, `3.2`, `3.3`) addressing every local plan and national policy test.
16. **Planning policy statements**: Detailed policy appraisals testing schemes against Local Plan policies, Neighbourhood Plans, National Development Management Policies (NDMPs), and the tilted balance.
17. **Shadow study / studies**: 3D shadow studies testing the effect of proposed buildings or extensions on neighbouring gardens and amenity spaces across the year.
18. **Sunlight study / studies**: Daylight, sunlight, and overlooking studies on plan and section proving acceptable neighbour living conditions.
19. **Sketch schemes**: Early hand-drawn pencil sketch schemes and feasibility layouts used to test site capacity and secure constructive pre-application feedback.
20. **Planning fees**: Transparent consultancy fee structures (fixed fee, hourly rate, no-win no-fee, 2% land fee) plus full guidance on the 1 April 2026 England council planning fee schedule.
21. **Change of use**: Moving buildings between Use Classes (Class E commercial, C3 residential, C4 small HMOs, and Sui Generis uses including large HMOs, pubs, and takeaways).
22. **Prior approval**: 56-day prior approval applications under Class MA (commercial to residential), Class Q (agricultural barns to homes), Class M/N, and larger home or upward extensions.
23. **Permitted development**: Assessing eligibility, Article 4 directions, planning conditions, and Nationally Described Space Standard (NDSS) compliance for PD conversions and extensions.
24. **Planning advice**: Honest, jargon-free initial and ongoing planning advice from consultants with over 25 years in Local Authority development control and private practice.
25. **Planning committee**: Preparing member briefings, answering third-party objections, and speaking on your behalf at local authority Planning Committee meetings.