Planning Circular 2/2022 The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2022

8. Categories of fees

Appendices set out the list of fees for applications at the time of publication of this circular. The general provisions for fees and the scale of fees are set out in full in Schedule 1 to the Regulations.

8.1 Residential development (category 1)

8.1.1 Full applications for the erection of dwellinghouses are charged according to the number of dwellinghouses which are to be created. The rate is £600 per dwellinghouse for the first 10 dwelling houses, for dwellinghouses between 11-49 the rate is £450 per dwellinghouse and £250 per dwellinghouse for those 50 and above subject to a maximum of £150,000.

8.2 Householder extension and alterations (categories 2 & 3)

8.2.1 A flat rate fee of £300 is charged for applications to enlarge, improve, or alter an existing dwellinghouse, or to carry out works within its curtilage which are ancillary to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse as such. This fee also applies to walls, fences or other enclosures along the boundary of the curtilage. Where an application relates to one or more existing dwellinghouses, the rate is £300 per dwellinghouse subject to a maximum of £600. Any application for planning permission in principle for the erection of buildings under these categories will incur the same fees.

8.3 Non-residential building works (category 4)

8.3.1 Applications for full permission for buildings (other than dwellinghouses, agricultural buildings or glasshouses and polytunnels) are charged as follows:

• Applications for development creating no new floor space, or not more than 50 sqm of new floor space, are charged a fee of £300.
• Where the gross floorspace exceeds 50 sqm but does not exceed 100sqm the fee is £600.
• Where the gross floorspace excceds 100 sqm it is £600 plus £600 per 100sqm up to 4000 sqm.
• Where the gross floor space exceeds 4000 sqm the fee is £24,000 plus £300 per 100 sqm up to the maximum of £150,000.
• Where no buildings are to be created the fee is £600 per 0.1ha up to a maximum fee of £150,000

8.4 Agricultural buildings (category 5)

8.4.1 Applications for agricultural buildings, are charged at the rate of £500 for the first 500 sqm and then every £500 for each 100 sqm or part thereof, beyond 500 sqm, subject to maximum of £25,000.

8.5 Glasshouses and polytunnels (category 6)

8.5.1 Glasshouses and polytunnels are defined as a building which has not less than three-quarters of its total external area comprised of glass or other translucent material, is designed for the production of flowers, fruit, vegetables, herb or other horticultural produce, and is used, or is to be used, solely for the purposes of agriculture.

8.5.2 Applications for the erection of glasshouse or polytunnels which are to be used for agricultural purposes are to be charged at £100 for each 100 sqm of ground area to be covered by the development subject to a maximum of £5,000.

8.6 Wind turbines (category 7)

8.6.1 This category applies to applications for the erection of wind turbines and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines.

• Where the number of turbines does not exceed 3 and their height (ground to hub height) does not exceed 15 metres the fee is £1,250.
• Where one or more of the turbines has a ground to hub height in excess of 15 metres but not 50 metres the fee is £2,500.
• Where one or more to the turbines has a ground to hub height in excess of 50 metres the fee is £5,000.
• Where the number of turbines exceeds 3, the fee is £500 per 0.1ha of the site area up to a maximum of £150,000.

8.7 Hydro-electric generating stations (category 8)

8.7.1 This category applies to applications for the erection of hydroelectric generating stations and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines. The fee is £500 for each 0.1ha of the site area subject to a maximum of £25,000.

8.8 Solar electric generating stations (category 9)

8.8.1 This category applies to applications for the erection of solar electric generating stations and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines. The fee is £500 for each 0.1ha of the site area subject to a maximum of £25,000.

8.9 Exploratory drilling for oil or natural gas (category 10)

8.9.1 Applications in respect of on-shore oil or natural gas exploration are charged according to the area of the site at a rate of £1,000 where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha. Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,000 for the first 0.1ha and then £500 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to a maximum of £150,000. For the purposes of calculation of fees for planning applications "exploratory drilling" should be taken to include "appraisal drilling".

8.10 Fish farming (category 11)

8.10.1 Applications for development involving the placing or assembly of equipment in any part of marine waters for the purposes of fish farming are charged a fee based on the surface area of the water and the area of seabed affected. The fee is calculated as £200 for each 0.1ha of the surface area of marine waters to be used in relation to the assembly or placement of any equipment to be used for the purposes of fish farming and £75 for each 0.1 hectare of the sea bed to be used in relation to such development up to a maximum of £25,000.

8.11 Shellfish farming (category 12)

8.11.1 Applications for development involving the placing or assembly of equipment in any part of marine waters for the purposes of shellfish farming are charged a fee based on the surface area of the water affected. The fee is calculated as £200 for each 0.1ha of the surface area of marine waters to be used in relation to the assembly or placement of any equipment to be used for the purposes of shellfish farming up to a maximum of £25,000.

8.12 Plant and machinery (category 13)

8.12.1 Applications for the erection, alteration or replacement of plant or machinery are charged according to the area of the site at a rate of £500 per 0.1 hectare or part thereof, for sites under 5ha. For sites over 5ha the fee is £25,000 plus £250 for each 0.1 ha of the site area in excess of 5 ha up to a maximum of £150,000.

8.13 Access, car parks etc. for existing uses (category 14)

8.13.1 Applications for the construction of service roads, other accesses, or car parks serving an existing use on a site are subject to a flat rate fee of £500.

8.14 Winning and working of minerals (category 15)

8.14.1 Applications for the winning and working of minerals (other than peat) are charged according to the area.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,000.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,000 for the first 0.1ha and then £500 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £75,000 plus £250 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £150,000.

8.14.2 The area will be the area to which the application relates and in the case of underground workings will include all the land under which any of the workings are to take place (development of oil and natural gas reserves is not regarded as "underground working"). The area should include the total area where development is to take place, including areas for landscaping.

8.15 Peat extraction (category 16)

8.15.1 Applications for the winning and working of peat are charged at the rate of £500 for each 0.1ha of the site area, subject to a maximum of £6,000.

8.16 Any other operations not coming within the categories above (category 17)

8.16.1 Applications for operations for any other purpose are charged according to the site area.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,000.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,000 for the first 0.1ha and then £500 per 1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £8,500 plus £250 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £150,000.

8.17 Waste disposal and minerals stocking (categories 18 & 19)

8.17.1 Applications for the disposal of waste, whether this involves operations or simply a change in the use of land, and for the stocking of minerals and other material extracted from the ground as part of the process of minerals extraction, are charged according to the area of the site.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,000.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,000 for the first 0.1ha and then £500 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £75,500 plus £250 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £150,000.

8.17.2 The site area should include any areas for landscaping.

8.18 Residential conversions (category 20)

8.18.1 Applications for the change of use of any building to use as one or more separate dwellinghouses are charged at a rate of:

• £600 per dwellinghouse for the first 10 dwelling houses,
• for dwellinghouses between 11-49 the rate is £450 per dwellinghouse: and
• for developments over 50 houses the fee is £23,550 plus £250 per dwellinghouse in excess of 50 subject to a maximum of £150,000.

8.19 Change of use of buildings (Category 21)

8.19.1 Applications for the change of use of buildings or land (other than the conversion to, or subdivision of, dwellinghouses, the tipping of waste or the stocking of minerals and spoil) are charged as follows:

8.19.2 Applications for the change of use of a building (except a change of use to use as one or more dwellinghouses) are to be charged based on the floor space on the building in question:

• with buildings with a floorspace which does not exceed 100 square metres the fee is £600;
• where the gross floorspace exceeds 100 sqm, it is £600 plus £600 per 100 square metres up to 4,000 sqm; and
• where the floorspace exceeds 4,000 sqm the fee is £24,000 plus £300 per 100 square metres in excess of 4,000 sqm up to the maximum of £150,000.

8.20 Change of use of land (Category 22)

8.20.1 Applications for the change of use of land (expect for a change of use involving categories 18, 19, 21 or a change of use relating to equipment placed in marine waters for the purposes of fish or shellfish farming) are to be charged on the site area involved at a rate of £500 per 0.1 hectare subject to a maximum of £5,000.