Member

The window issue raised by my noble friend, Lord Mann, was raised with me by the Historic Housing Association. The structure of planning fees, including any exemptions or reductions, is set nationally by the Secretary of State and is subject to regular review and consultation. However, to reiterate to reassure the noble Lord, under the local fee-setting regime, local planning authorities will not be able to charge fees for applications for listed building consent where an exemption applies, and any exemptions will continue to be set by the Secretary of State. Introducing such provisions through primary legislation is not necessary and could limit flexibility in future fee-setting arrangements. Any changes to the fee regime are best considered through the established regulatory framework, which allows consultation with stakeholders and careful assessment of impacts.