Completing a unilateral undertaking

As part of the application process, your planning case officer will let you know of any planning obligations that may be needed. 

If the requirements only relate to habitat mitigation and air quality monitoring, you may be able to secure those by completing a Unilateral Undertaking online.

Where you can find the unilateral undertaking

You can download and complete the form using the link below:

 Deed for Unilateral Undertaking (Word doc, 35 KB)

Biodiversity net gain

If as part of your proposal you are required to provide biodiversity net gain measures on site, there is a requirement to pay a monitoring charge to us so that we can ensure it is achieving the requirement in perpetuity. 

We have a separate form which can be used for this instance and your case officer will advise you accordingly.

What you need to do to complete the agreement

Before signing the agreement please send an unsigned draft of the agreement together with the following information.

The undertaking must be submitted to us together with:

• a red line plan specific to the Unilateral Undertaking and annexed to it (the plan should be in accordance with the planning application)
• an electronic copy of your title deeds
• your financial contribution
• a checking fee of £75
• completed front page with financial contributions payable

The checking fee will be used to ensure that the title deeds and contribution are correct. This fee is non-refundable.

Once we have checked that everything needed is there we will then ask for a signed and dated version to be submitted.

You may wish to take independent legal advice prior to proceeding with an agreement.

Submitting the Unilateral Undertaking

Do not amend the words contained in the UU. Only fill in the blanks where necessary

The agreement can be emailed to developer.contributions@nfdc.gov.uk.

Whilst electronic copies of the UU are acceptable they must be a scanned copy (i.e. pdf document) of the original executed UU and must include the red line plan. If you do not have the facility to scan the document please forward the original to: Planning, New Forest District Council, Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA.

Please note that due to the length of time taken to receive cleared funds, cheques will not be accepted.

Unfortunately, our online payment system is currently unavailable.  We hope to have this back online as soon as possible.

Alternatively you can call us on 023 8028 5345 (option 1) 

If you're paying the Community Infrastructure Levy

If Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is paid, or confirmed to be paid on the application, the infrastructure contribution will be credited towards the total CIL payment due. Any CIL notices that are issued will make this clear.
 

If your application is refused

Where planning permission is refused, and the financial contribution has been paid in advance of the decision, we will endeavour to refund the contribution six months after the decision was made. This refund will not include the £75 checking fee and an additional £150 administration charge will be made in relation to processing the refund.  This will also be the case if an application is dismissed at an appeal and this Unilateral Undertaking has been used.

If you purchase a property/land to which contributions have been paid by the previous owner. Will the original owner have a right to claim the funds back?

The contributions are not refundable if development has commenced.

The land owner owns any associated planning application contribution for the site.

What happens to the contribution paid if you decide not to build?

A refund can be applied for once the decision has expired.