The amount that members of the public pay to the States for planning and building control is going up from Tuesday.
Guernsey’s Development & Planning Authority is increasing the fees by 17% from the end of this month.
Announcing the increase, the States said the increase is “in response to inflation, and to ensure that the fees truly reflect the cost of the service being provided”.
The DPA said it’s only the second time that increases have been brought on the two charges, with planning fees increasing back in January 2020, building control fees in September 2021, and both receiving a 7.3% increase in February last year.
With these increases in mind, both types of fee will have increased by 24.3% in two years.
The DPA said its approach is “in line with guidance provided by the Policy & Resources Committee to make sure that costs are met by those who actually use the service rather than being funded by other taxpayers who may never use the service”.
A spokesperson for the DPA said they could look into Artificial Intelligence as a way to streamline these services in the future.
“The increase in fees highlights the continual need for the Planning Service to provide the most efficient service for its customers. In line with this, investigations are ongoing to proactively explore the opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence and other technology to improve efficiency.
“The Service is also looking to improve the quality of its service, such as by proactively meeting with agents on a regular basis to discuss relevant matters”.