Law Society delays new CON 29 and CON 29O enquiry forms

The Law Society has delayed the introduction of new CON 29 and CON 29O enquiry forms.

Chancery Lane had hoped to launch the new forms in October, but has now put the release date back to April 2015.

The Law Society said: “We understand that it is important for solicitors, local authorities and others to know when the new forms will be introduced so that you can plan budgets, resources and system changes accordingly.

“We are keen to ensure that the new forms and the changes made to the forms are practicable. That is why we consulted the profession, local authorities and other key stakeholders in 2013. Following the publication of the consultation response, it was necessary to undertake further discussions with software developers, local authorities and others to ensure that the new forms were fit for purpose.”

Chancery Lane added: “As a result of those further discussions, it has become necessary to delay the introduction of the new forms.”

The Law Society also set out the interim position for new enquiries.

It said: “Some new enquiries have been added to the forms, eg community infrastructure levy (CIL) and assets of community value. While the forms will not go live yet, if solicitors wish to raise enquiries about these matters now, they should follow the format of the enquiry on the form to make it easier for respondents to answer.

“Not all local authorities will have a CIL charging schedule. Solicitors may therefore wish to check the local authority's website for further information about whether a charging schedule is in place before raising enquiries about CIL.”

Chancery Lane said it was working on producing guidance notes to accompany the forms and proposed to publish these to coincide with the introduction of the new forms.