Essex Coast RAMS
The Essex Coast Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (Essex RAMS) has been developed in partnership with Natural England and 11 local authorities in Essex, including Maldon.
The strategy sets out a long-term approach to lessen the impact of local housing development on protected habitat sites along the Essex coast. It specifically aims to prevent habitat disturbance from recreational activities through a series of mitigation measures, which are to be funded by developer contributions from residential development schemes.
The RAMS payment applies to all residential development within a catchment area known as the Zone of Influence (ZoI), which encompasses the whole of the Maldon District.
The tariff for 2026-2027 will be £175.55 per net new dwelling.
Upfront payment
For developments up to and including nine dwellings, the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to pay is to make an up-front payment online before we issue planning permission. This ensures we can grant permission without delay. The upfront payment means you don’t have to pay any monitoring or checking fees which are required for legal agreements. Should the local planning authority be minded to approve the application, the case officer will contact you during the lifetime of your application to advise when you should make a payment, please don’t make a payment until then. Payments can be made by debit card or BACs transfer (credit card payments are not accepted).
The upfront RAMS payments are refundable in the event planning permission is refused, an appeal is dismissed, or the development is not implemented. You can make a claim for a refund six months after the date of decision, which is the time limit for lodging an appeal, or immediately following a dismissed appeal.
Legal agreement
If your development is for over 9 dwellings, we will collect money via planning obligations that we secure using:
• Unilateral undertakings
• S106 agreements
This will require additional payments as follows:
• Checking fee – £75
• Monitoring fee – £50
The case officer will contact you when your application is being considered to advise when you should submit the agreement.
Making a RAMS tariff payment
Pay RAMS tariff of £175.55 per net new dwelling
Process for developers prior to a decision being issued for all applications excluding prior approval applications:
Complete the UU ensuring dates and signatures of all parties with interest in the land have been filled in. It should be noted if there is a mortgagee a signature from the bank or building society will be required.
Visit the RAMS page, attach completed UU and pay checking and monitoring fee (£125)
Process for developers prior to a decision being issued for prior approval applications only:
Complete the UU ensuring dates and signatures of all parties with interest in the land have been filled in. It should be noted if there is a mortgagee a signature from the bank or building society will be required.
Visit the RAMS page, attach completed UU and pay checking and monitoring fee (£125)