The Planning Portal: What It Is and How to Use It

The Planning Portal charges you £70 plus VAT on top of the council fee and does nothing your council can't do itself. That's the blunt version. But if you're submitting a planning application in England, you'll almost certainly use it anyway, because it's the path of least resistance and the one your architect already knows. Understanding what it is, what it costs, and where its job ends will stop you confusing it with your council and save you from the technical snags that trip people up every year.