Welcome to the Consultations newsletter

This email is being sent to you because you have signed up for ‘Consultation surveys’ on the North Kesteven District Council's website. This newsletter is where you'll find consultations and surveys from the Council and our partners, and where you can contribute to service development. All feedback would be appreciated. 

Local Validation List Review consultation

The Central Lincolnshire authorities of City of Lincoln, North Kesteven and West Lindsey are reviewing the jointly adopted Local Validation Lists for planning applications and are inviting comments on a set of proposed updated lists.

Local Validation Lists set out the additional information that may be required to accompany a planning application, alongside the national mandatory requirements, to enable the Council to register and determine applications efficiently.

The proposed updates have been prepared to ensure that the Local Validation Lists remain up to date, proportionate and relevant, and continue to reflect current national planning policy and the adopted development plan.

This consultation closes on June 7, 2026.

King Charles III England Coast Path survey

The County Council wants to hear your thoughts on the Lincolnshire coast and its stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path.

If you have used the path or have any suggestions for improvements to make it easier to use and enjoy, please share your views via the survey below by May 18, 2026.

Survey to improve the support available to small business owners

The Federation of Small Businesses needs your feedback on what support businesses require and how to improve this support.

It is currently undertaking a nationwide research project in order to:

• Ascertain what small businesses see as business support
• Identify examples of successful business support programmes
• Look at both public and private sector support initiatives
• Provide recommendations for business support

As part of the project, it has produced a short survey aimed at smaller businesses. This is a great chance for small businesses to help influence positive change in business support.

Consultation on fees for planning applications

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) previously launched a consultation on fees for planning applications. 

The consultation closes on May 18, 2026. It seeks views on proposals to:

• Establish a national default fee at 90% of estimated costs to move closer to cost recovery and provide a baseline for a future local fee-setting model
• Introduce new fees and restructure existing categories to reduce complexity for users.
• Apply a surcharge on planning fees for statutory consultees, set in the region of 10% of the national default fee
• Set out principles for local fee setting and seek views on introducing a cap on locally set fees.
• Review the role of discretionary services such as Planning Performance Agreements and pre-application advice in light of proposed increases to default fees and the introduction of the local variation model

Consultation on New Towns Draft Programme

MHCLG previously launched a consultation seeking views on the draft New Towns Programme, preferred locations and the government's proposed offer to potential new towns locations.

The consultation closes on May 19, 2026. It invites views on the following:

• How the new towns draft programme could operate the seven proposed locations
• How new towns could be delivered and planned
• The proposed approach to design and planning policy
• The government’s offer to locations

Consultation on proposed reforms to the electricity market

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published a consultation on proposed reforms to the electricity market and their implementation.

DESNZ is consulting on reforms it intends to make to siting and investment levers. The consultation closes on June 2, 2026.