The Planning Portal is an online method of submitting all varieties of Planning applications within England. The portal allows application forms to be completed, electronic documents to be uploaded and all data to be submitted directly to any local authority in the country. Up until now, statutory fees have been paid directly to each respective local authority.
The Planning Portal have now introduced a method of paying online through the portal as a way of streamlining the payment system and releasing this aspect of application submission from the local authorities. Using the Planning Portal to submit planning applications provides a uniform submission method avoiding potential differences between each respective local authority.
The system is really simple and will allow either the agent (your architect) or the applicant to pay directly via Planning Portal using secure online methods. Payments can be handled by either one of the following:
- BACS/CHAPS directly from your own bank account
- Telephone using a debit or credit card
- Online through Planning Portal
- Cheques can still be written and sent, though there is an obvious time delay
There is a service charge for this payment system that is added to the statutory planning fee. The service charge is £16.67 plus VAT, which equates to £20.00 in total.
Further information about this revised payment service can be found at the Planning Portal website or through the following link:
https://blog.planningportal.co.uk/2018/08/01/new-payment-service-for-1app-in-england/
Written by Laurence Wright