Planning circular 3/2024: The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024

2. Scope of fees

2.1.1 The Regulations apply to:

• applications for planning permissions;
• approval of matters specified in conditions which relate to a grant of planning permission in principle;
• applications for consent to display advertisements;
• applications arising from certificates of lawful use or development; and
• certain applications for the determination as to whether prior approval of a planning authority is required.

2.1.2 Authorities have the discretion to introduce charges for:

• the variation, discharge or approval of conditions attached to a grant of planning permission;
• discussions undertaken in advance of the submission of an application;
• the preparation of a processing agreement;
• the recovery of costs relating to the preparation and delivery of Masterplan Consent Area Schemes ;
• a non-material variation of a planning consent; and
• a surcharge for applications where development has already taken place ("retrospective applications").

2.1.3 The fees regulations do not apply to any other type of application. In particular there are no fees for:

• applications for listed building consent;
• applications for certificates of appropriate alternative development; or
• applications to lop or fell trees subject to tree preservation orders.

2.1.4 The provisions for fees in the Regulations take effect from 12 December 2024 and fees at the levels prescribed in the Regulations are payable for applications made on or after that date. Where an application for approval of matters specified in conditions is made relating to a grant of planning permission in principle and the maximum fee has already, through cumulative applications, been exceeded then the standard application fee of £576 is applicable (only applies to development within categories 1, 4, 17, or 21 of table 1).

For applications made before 1 April 2022 the maximum fee is £125,000

• For applications granted before 12 December 2024 the maximum fee is £150,000