NEW charges for planning advice from Glasgow City Council are set to be agreed on Thursday.

Councillors will be asked to approve a £2000 fee for advice on major developments and £150 for local schemes.

Advice for householders would stay free under the proposals due to the “relatively uncomplicated nature” of these projects.

Charges would be introduced from October 1 and – based on pre-application enquiries last year – it is estimated around £50,000 could be raised by March.

The proposal to bring in planning advice fees was agreed by the council at budget time in February.

In a report to councillors, Kenny McLean, city convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said: “The planning department has operated a pre-application advice service for a number of years.

“This provides applicants with greater certainty on the likely outcome of planning applications, and identifies key issues that should be addressed within any future applications before costly commitments are made.

“This early engagement with the local authority can help the planning process ensue more smoothly and can save time for the applicant in the long run as issues may be identified, and remedied, prior to the submission of a planning application.”

The advice is not a “legislative requirement” for local authorities and applicants can submit their plans without talks with council officers. Cllr McLean states it has been a “popular service”.

His report states “the times and resources involved require to be accounted for” and fees will allow the service “to be resourced efficiently and delivered at a consistently high standard”.

Other Scottish councils already have pre-application charges, including City of Edinburgh, Fife, West Lothian and the Highland Council.

In Edinburgh, there is a standard fee of £4900 (plus VAT) for a major development, with a £500 charge for any additional meeting.

Advice for local developments can vary from £200 to £850, Mr McLean’s report adds.

In Glasgow, householders, who won’t pay a fee, will receive an outcome letter or email from officers.

Major developers, paying £2000, would get a site visit if needed, one meeting with relevant officers and an outcome letter, which would include a summary of key issues, a policy appraisal and an indication of the overall acceptability of the plan.

It would also include details on internal consultation with relevant teams and a list of supporting information required with the application.

Further meetings with officers would cost £500 per meeting.

For local developments, the £150 fee would cover a site visit when required and an outcome letter including a summary of key issues, an indication of acceptability, details from relevant team and the list of supporting information needed.