Environmental planning policy

We refer to relevant planning policies when assessing applications for minerals, waste, and council developments.

Contents

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP'S)

Cost Recovery - Our approach to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs)

The Fees Regulations 2010 enable certain prescribed public authorities to charge applicants a fee for providing relevant services. The Infrastructure Planning (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 added host local authorities to the list of bodies allowed to charge fees for certain work on nationally significant infrastructure projects.

These regulations enable Staffordshire County Council to charge for all our services in relation to NSIP applications, across all stages of the NSIP process. These charges are on a cost recovery basis and are not for profit.

Under these powers, Staffordshire County Council intends to recover all costs for each stage of the NSIP process:

  1. Pre-application
  2. Acceptance
  3. Pre-examination
  4. Examination
  5. Recommendation and decision
  6. Post-decision and implementation

For all new DCO schemes, Staffordshire County Council will engage with the applicant either before or during the pre-application stage to discuss requirements and the likely scope of our services in relation to the NSIP application.

Charges

Our rate from 1 July 2026 is £76 per hour. 

This is a single flat rate for all specialist service areas:

  • Planning/Project Management
  • Highways and Transportation
  • Natural Environment
  • Historic Environment
  • Landscape
  • Minerals and Waste
  • Flood Risk
  • Employment and Skills
  • Public Health

Charges are based on hours worked.

The overall cost for our services will vary depending on the complexity of your scheme and the level of input required from us. We'll work with applicants to assess this and set out details of our charges in writing on a scheme-by-scheme basis.

Costs will be recovered for the full range of services and activities we provide in relation to NSIP applications. This includes any direct costs associated with planning and specialist advice (including our response to statutory consultations).

Additional Charges

Where we need to engage external consultants, legal advice (internal or external) and/or counsel, their charges will be passed on to the applicant at cost. We will also fully recover any expenses incurred as a result of the NSIP application, for example travel and subsistence, hosting meetings, venue/equipment hire. Our rates will be kept under review and we will provide notice of any changes.

We will not charge under the Fees Regulations for:

  • The Council’s costs in respect of entering into a Section 106 Agreement of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which shall be recoverable pursuant to an undertaking provided by the Applicant’s solicitors, in the usual way.
  • For any work covered by another agreement between the Applicant and the Council.
  • Any mitigation related to the Project, which shall be committed separately by the Applicant.

Payment

Costs shall be paid monthly in arrears unless otherwise agreed with us.