Agreed by the council’s cabinet last month, the new charges came into force on 1st April.

These new charges are in line with recent changes to the fee regulations set out by The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications (Scotland) Regulations 2022.

East Lothian Council will now be applying discretionary charges for providing pre-application services and written advice, considering a request to vary a planning permission, as a non-material variation, and, considering a request for written confirmation of compliance/discharge of conditions.

A surcharge of 25% for retrospective applications will now also apply.

There will be certain exceptions to pre-application charging which includes planning applications made by disabled people for alterations to their principal residence; applications made by community councils where the proposed development is intended solely for community benefit; and applications made by not for profit clubs, or other not for profit sporting or recreational organisations, relating to playing fields for their own use.