Fast-Track Terms and Conditions

The purpose of the fast-track service is to accelerate the determination of a planning application for a decision to be quicker than the statutory determination date (normally 8 weeks), for an additional fee to the statutory fee.

This concept is similar to other government services whereby for a premium, you can obtain a quicker result such as applying for a passport. This service maybe advantageous to you due to funding purposes, contractual requirements, build project deadlines or conveyancing reasons.

The fast-track service does not affect the merits of the proposal. Fast-track charges are payable in addition to the application fees payable under the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

All requests for the service should be emailed to planning@stevenage.gov.uk prior to the submission of the application.

Each request is assessed individually and a confirmation that the service can be offered if offered by the Planning Department before the application is considered part of the scheme.

Each request should include the following details:

• Name, address, phone number and email address of the applicant / agent
• Site address
• Description of the proposal.

All fast-track payments must be made by phoning the council on 01438 242242 and asking to speak to the Planning Department. You can also email the planning team using the contact details below providing your contact details. Someone will then contact to you to collect payment.

All fast-track payments must be made at the time of registration of the application. The applicant or applicant’s agent shall inform the Council upon submission and payment of the application by emailing planning@stevenage.gov.uk. If you have submitted the application via the Planning Portal, we require details of the Planning Portal reference number.

The fast-track services available include:

• Validation of application within one working day of receipt of the fast-track fee.
• The determination of Householder Applications within 5 weeks from the date of validation / once the consultation period has ended.
• The determination of Lawful Development Certificate applications within 10 working days following receipt of the fast-track fee.

Who can apply

This service is only available for householder applications and lawful development certificates. It is not offered for any other type of application.

Fast-Track Service Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions must be adhered to, for your application to be eligible for fast-track:

• You must email the Planning Department using the contact details below letting them know that you wish the application to be assessed under fast-track. If submitted through the Planning Portal, you must provide us with the Planning Portal reference number.
• It must be a valid householder or lawful development certificate proposed application.
• The service does not apply if your property is locally listed or statutory listed building or lies within a conservation area.
• Must only relate to a single-dwellinghouse.
• The fast-track fee must be received within 24 hours of submission. If submitted over the weekend or bank holiday, payment must be made on the first available working day.
• Payment of the fast-track fee can only be made to the planning department, and we need your contact information to collect payment.
• All applications, providing validation requirements have been met, will be assessed using the originally submitted plans.
• In exceptional circumstances, the case officer might ask for additional information to support your application submission.
• Notwithstanding any pre-application advice, amendments will not generally be sought or accepted for any applications submitted under the fast-track process. However, the case officer may seek minor amendments if these amendments would result in a positive outcome and these can be produced within 24 hours of the initial request. Whether amendments are accepted is at the discretion of the case officer, Team Leader and / or the Head of Planning and Enforcement and all decisions are final.
• Decision targets are subject to the appropriate fast-track fee being received in the timescale stipulated above.
• If your application is called in to the Planning and Development Committee, this will likely impact on the determination timeframes. Therefore, officers will advise the applicant and / or agent if this is the case. Where this is the only cause of delay, the fast-track fee will not be refundable.

Fees, refunds and exemptions

In all cases, the fast-track payment is in addition to the statutory application fee. Fast-track payments are inclusive of VAT.

A partial or full refund will only be given in the following scenarios:

• A refund must first be requested in writing with full reasoning given, by emailing the team using the contact details below.
• Each refund request will be reviewed on its own merits, considered by the Head of Planning and Enforcement.
• Where you seek to withdraw your application and this is requested in writing within 10 working days (householder applications) or 5 working days (lawful development certificate) of the submission of the fast-track application the Council will offer a partial refund.
• A sliding scale of the delay (s) in time will be used to determine the appropriate refund, if any

A partial or full refund will not be given for the following scenarios:

• If the application is made invalid after the validation review.
• If the case officer cannot access the application site or all reasonable access arrangements have not been made by the applicant or agent.
• If the planning application is called-in to Planning and Development Committee by a councillor.
• If the application is subsequently withdrawn outside the timeframes referenced above or if the application is refused, a refund will not be given.
• If there are delays caused by external consultees outside of the control of the Local Planning Authority.
• A time extension has been agreed in writing by the applicant and / or agent as well as the Council.

Additional Information

The Council reserves the right to suspend all or parts of the service if demand is too high or in event of staff shortages or resourcing issues.

Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with the quality and level of service provided, then please follow the Council’s Corporate Complaints Policy.