This sounds like it is a very recent change, and may not be for all Councils, though not sure until it is looked into further.
The best advice I can give you is to research everything yourself, as you are still the one deciding to build the house, and will be responsible for any costs. We have found H&H try to tell you about everything they can, they are not trying to hide details deliberately, but the rules can be different for every council, and block of land, and even per Council employee assessing the application. You never know what extra costs will come up in your particular case, an example is Hydraulics, which may or may not apply to you, but cannot totally be predicted at Tender stage, because it can change based on your chosen landscape design.
Building is expensive, and usually costs 30% to 50% more than the base price of the house to fully complete, landscape and furnish. Every builder will have situations like this, you should try and make sure to have extra funds to be able absorb some unexpected costs if they arise.
H&H are one of the few builders that does not force you to sign the contract until after the build is approved, so after you know all costs. Most other builders require you to sign the lock-in contract before it gets assessed. H&H seemed to us like they are genuinely trying to help, but you also need to stay prepared.
I hope it's all smooth sailing for you
Thanks a lot for your kind help! Seren1ty