Charging Schedule

Charging Schedule for licenced commercial re-use of HER information and development management advice 2023 – 2024

The following sets out the proposed charging scheduled for services provided by the Devon County Historic Environment Team (HET) to developers, archaeological contractors or consultants for commercial projects, or projects that relate to development.

Charges for the HET’s services will be invoiced to whoever contacts the HET for HER information and/or for detailed formal archaeological planning advice, the requester should ensure that their client is aware of these charges.

No charges will be made to householder applicants, Parish Councils or Planning Authorities consulting the HET under the current Duty to Co-operate agreement.

Charging has been broken down into four sections:

  1. Licenced use of HER information
  2. Provision of pre-application advice
  3. Post application advice
  4. Historic building appraisal/recording advice

If hardcopies of HER information are required please contact the HET for details of charges that may be made for photocopying, printing and postal costs.

1. Charges for licenced re-use of Historic Environment Record (HER) information

The charges are for commercial, licenced, re-use of HER information are set out below.

£60 – For information for developments consisting of:

  • between 2 and 9 residential units, or
  • other developments covering an area up to 0.5 hectares, or small scale wind turbine developments of fewer than 3 turbines in total.

 £90 – For information for developments consisting of:

  • 10 – 49 residential units or
  • residential sites, commercial/agricultural unit(s) and other developments covering an area over 0.5 hectares but less than 2 hectares.

£150 – For information for developments consisting of:

  • 50 or more residential units, or
  • residential sites or commercial/agricultural unit(s) and solar farms covering an area of over 2 hectares
  • wind turbine developments of more than 3 turbines, and
  • large linear projects e.g. roads, pipelines, railways and quarries.

[Note: VAT is not charged on charges for licenced re-use of Historic Environment Record (HER) information]

  • HER information is provided for commercial re-use under the Licence for re-use of Historic Environment Record information
  • The charge includes a follow-up visit to the HER in person.
  • It will also include a brief written advisory response from the HET with regard to the completeness of the HER information and likely areas or requirements for further works.
  • If hardcopies of HER information are required please contact the HET for details of charges that may be made for photocopying, printing and postal costs. Charges for copying of material available elsewhere will be subject to VAT.
  • Academic and private researchers will not normally be charged for the provision and use of HER information. However, the HET reserves the right to Licence use of information where research projects involve a commercial dimension or where significant HET staff time will be required.
  • The HER information will be provided as soon as possible after the receipt of a request but nevertheless within 14 days of a request. The HER office will inform you if a delay in the provision of this information is anticipated.
  • There will be no charge for the provision of HER information with regard to householder planning applications, or for (the rare occasions) where no HER information is returned from a search.

2. Pre-Application work consultation charges

There will be no charge for the provision of HER advice with regard to householder planning applications.

There will be no charge for an initial appraisal – either verbally or in written correspondence – by the HET of a proposed development or scheme.  However, more detailed written pre-application advice will be subject to the charges as set out below.

Charges for Consultations for Pre-Application Consultation for different types of developments: (these are defined in the appendix at the end of this document).

Type 0 No charge

Type 1 £131 + VAT

Type 2 £236 + VAT

Type 3 £338 + VAT

Type 4 £416 + VAT

Type 5 By negotiation

A Pre-Application Consultation may include:

  • Appraisal and discussion of the heritage assets that may be affected by the proposed development type – see appendix for definitions of development types.
  • A written response to the enquirer setting out the opinion of the HET on the impact of the proposed development, and the requirement and scope of any archaeological mitigation that may be required.
  • The provision of detailed advice that sets out the scope of the programme of works required.
  • Consideration and approval of Project Designs or Written Scheme of Investigations for the archaeological works.  The standard turnaround for the provision of comments or approval would be within 14 days of receipt of such documents.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for comments on Project Designs and Written Schemes of Investigation would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • Attendance at site meetings and/or monitoring visits. It is anticipated that a Type 1 development would require a single visit, a Type 2 – two visits, etc.
  • The standard turn around for production of Briefs – if a bespoke Brief is required – would be within 14 days of validation of a request.
  • A written response, copied to the planning authority, commenting on the draft and final resultant Evaluation Report.
  • The standard turn around for comments on reports would be within 28 days of receipt.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for the preparation of bespoke Briefs and comments on Evaluation Reports would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • If a priority turnaround is not possible then the enquirer will be informed and a timetable for the receipt of the response will be agreed.
  • For phased developments a new charge will be raised for each evaluation stage where a new Brief or comment on Evaluation Report is required.
  • Additional site monitoring visits by the HET may be required for developments affecting significant and/or complex heritage assets. For projects that require significantly higher levels of monitoring and/or attendance of meetings these will be charged at £49 + VAT per hour, plus hire or mileage costs.

3. Charges for post-application archaeological advice

These charges are for the setting of requirements for, and the monitoring of, the programme of mitigation to ensure that it, the post-excavation tasks, the subsequent report and archive meet the requirements of the approved written scheme of investigation.

Charges for post-application archaeological advice for different types of developments – these are defined in the appendix at the end of this document.

Type 0 No charge

Type 1 £210 + VAT

Type 2 £394 + VAT

Type 3 £578 + VAT

Type 4 £788 + VAT

Type 5 By negotiation

The charges for Monitoring Archaeological Works include the provision any or all of the following:

  • Appraisal and discussion of the heritage assets that may be affected by the proposed development Type – see appendix for definitions.
  • The provision of detailed advice that sets out the scope of the programme of works required.
  • Consideration and approval of Project Designs or Written Scheme of Investigations for the archaeological works.  The standard turnaround for the provision of comments or approval would be within 14 days of receipt of such documents.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for comments on Project Designs and Written Schemes of Investigation would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • Monitoring visits or meetings, and written response, copied to the planning authority including comments on resultant reports.
  • Attendance at site meetings and/or monitoring visits. It is anticipated that a Type 1 development would require a single visit, a Type 2 – two visits, etc.
  • Comments on the draft report.
  • A written response, copied to the planning authority, commenting on the draft and final resultant Report.
  • The standard turn around for production of Briefs – if a bespoke Brief is required – would be within 14 days of validation of a request.
  • The standard turn around for comments on reports would be within 28 days of receipt.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for the preparation of bespoke Briefs and comments on reports would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • For phased developments a new charge will be raised for each stage where a new Brief or comment on Report is required.
  • Additional site monitoring visits by the HET may be required for developments affecting significant and/or complex heritage assets. For projects that require significantly higher levels of monitoring and/or attendance of meetings these will be charged at £49 + VAT per hour, plus hire or mileage costs.
  • There will be no charge for the provision of HER advice with regard to householder planning applications.

4. Charges for Historic Building Appraisal advice and Historic Building Recording advice

These charges are for pre- and post-application consultation advice, and consultation and monitoring of development that involve historic building appraisal and recording work.  This may be a stand-alone project or part of a larger scheme.

Pre-Application Enquiry = £131 + VAT

Post-application monitoring works, assessing reports and provision of comments to the Planning Authority = £210 + VAT

The charges for the provision of Historic Building Appraisal and Recording advice include the provision of any or all of:

  • Assessment and scoping of the level of historic building appraisal and/or recording required.
  • The provision of detailed advice that sets out the scope of the programme of works required.
  • Consideration and approval of Project Designs or Written Scheme of Investigations for the archaeological works.  The standard turnaround for the provision of comments or approval would be within 14 days of receipt of such documents.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for comments on Project Designs and Written Schemes of Investigation would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • Monitoring visits or meetings, and written response, copied to the planning authority including comments on resultant reports.
  • Attendance at site meetings and/or monitoring visits.
  • Comments on the draft report.  The standard turn around for comments on reports would be within 28 days of receipt.
  • A written response, copied to the planning authority, commenting on the draft and final resultant Report.
  • If required the standard turn around for production of bespoke Briefs would be within 14 days of a request.
  • The standard turn around for comments on reports would be within 28 days of receipt.
  • Priority turnaround (2 – 3 days) for comments on Briefs and Evaluation Reports would be subject to an additional cost of £50 + VAT for each request.
  • For phased developments a new charge will be raised for each stage where a new Brief or comment on Report is required.
  • Additional site monitoring visits by the HET may be required for developments affecting significant and/or complex heritage assets. For projects that require significantly higher levels of monitoring and/or attendance of meetings these will be charged at £49 + VAT per hour, plus hire or mileage costs.

Appendix 1

Description of types of consultations and development to which HET charges apply:

Type 0:            Consultations and developments that are not subject to HET charges: householder planning applications, academic research, enquiries from the public – including amenity societies (including history and archaeological societies), enquiries from Local Planning Authorities and parish councils, non-commercial enquiries, enquiries not relating to a development.

Type 1:            Development consisting of single residential, small commercial or agricultural units.

Type 2:            Developments consisting of between 2 and 9 residential units, or other developments covering an area of up to 0.5ha and small scale wind turbine developments of fewer than 3 turbines in total.

Type 3:            Developments consisting of between 10 and 49 residential units or other developments covering between 0.5 – 2 hectares, and wind farm developments consisting of up to three turbines in total.

Type 4:            Development consisting of between 50 and 199 residential units or other developments 2 – 4ha in size including anaerobic digester plants.

Type 5:            Development consisting of 200 or more residential units and other development over 4ha in size, such as solar farms, wind farms with more than 3 turbines, linear projects e.g. roads, pipelines, railways, and quarries.

In exceptional cases charges may be waived or reduced.  In these cases the Historic Environment Team should be contacted at the earliest opportunity to discuss any reduction or waiving of charges.

Where schemes involve both historic building recording and archaeological works the charge made will in accordance with the type of development as described in Types 1 – 5 above and not as per Section 4 above.

In cases where proposals fall within more than one of the above types, the charge will be set at the highest of those relevant rates.

Last updated: 7th July 2022