Planning Application Fees in England 2025: How Much You Pay and What's Changed

**Background to the December 2023 fee increase**:

England's planning application fees had been largely static for many years, with the result that local authority planning departments were chronically under-resourced relative to the volume of applications they were processing. The government introduced significant fee increases from December 6, 2023, as part of a programme to provide planning departments with additional income, with the stated objective of improving planning decision-making performance.

A second fee increase was introduced for major applications from April 2024. The fee schedule described below reflects the current (2024–2025) fee levels applicable in England.

**Householder application fees**:

A householder application is the planning application route for works to an existing single house — extensions, outbuildings, dormer windows, porches, and other works to a single private dwelling that do not constitute a change of use or a new dwelling. For London homeowners, the householder application is the most commonly used planning route.

*Householder application (extensions and outbuildings to a house)*:

| Application type | Fee from December 2023 | |---|---| | Householder application (extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, etc.) | £258 |

Note: The December 2023 fee for householder applications was increased from £206 to £258. This is a flat fee regardless of the size of the extension or the complexity of the application — a 10m² porch and a 50m² two-storey extension pay the same fee.

**Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) fees**:

A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is a formal certificate from the local authority confirming that a proposed development is lawful (a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Use or Development — CPLUD) or that an existing, completed development was lawfully carried out (a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development — CLEUD). LDCs are used to confirm that permitted development rights apply to a proposed extension, or to regularise works already completed without formal approval.

| LDC type | Fee from December 2023 | |---|---| | Certificate of Proposed Lawful Use or Development (CPLUD) — proposed residential extension under PD rights | £129 (50% of householder application fee) | | Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development (CLEUD) — existing residential works | £258 (same as householder application fee) |

Note: The LDC fee was historically set at 50% of the equivalent full application fee. Post-December 2023, the CPLUD fee for residential uses is £129; the CLEUD fee for residential uses is £258.

**Prior Approval fees**:

Prior Approval is a lighter-touch planning consent route for certain types of development permitted under the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) that require the local authority to assess specific matters (typically: external appearance, impact on amenity, transport and highways impact) before the development can proceed, but without requiring a full planning application. Common prior approval routes for residential development:

| Prior Approval type | Fee from December 2023 | |---|---| | Prior Approval — larger home extension (Class A of Part 1, Schedule 2 of the GPDO — extensions between 4–8m for a detached house or 3–6m for a semi/terrace, where the local authority assessment is required) | £120 | | Prior Approval — agricultural to residential conversion (Class Q) | £120 per dwelling (new) | | Prior Approval — commercial to residential conversion (Class MA) | £120 per dwelling (new) | | Prior Approval — householder solar panels (Class A of Part 14) | £0 (no fee) |

Note: The prior approval fee for larger home extensions (£120) applies when a rear extension exceeds the standard permitted development depth limits (4m for detached, 3m for semi-detached and terraced) and the local authority consultation process is triggered. London boroughs are not subject to the larger home extension prior approval route because the Article 4 Direction removing this PD right is in force in many London boroughs — check with the local planning authority.

**Full planning application fees for householder works above PD limits**:

Where works exceed permitted development limits and require a full planning application (rather than a householder application), or where the property is a flat (to which householder PD rights do not apply), the relevant fee schedule depends on the type of application:

| Application type | Fee from December 2023 | |---|---| | Full planning application for a single flat (extension or alteration to a flat — flats do not have householder PD rights) | £258 | | Full planning application for works to a house (where a householder application route is not available — for example, a change of use element is included) | £258 |

For applications that involve multiple elements or mixed uses, the fee is calculated by the relevant fee schedules.

**Fees for new dwellings (residential)**:

| Application type | Fee from December 2023 / April 2024 | |---|---| | Full planning application for 1–9 new dwellings | £578 per dwelling (April 2024 fee) | | Full planning application for 10–49 new dwellings | £578 per dwelling, up to a maximum of £28,859 (April 2024 fee) | | Full planning application for 50+ new dwellings | £578 per dwelling (April 2024 fee) | | Change of use to single dwelling (no building operations) | £578 (April 2024 fee) | | Outline planning permission (new dwellings) — per 0.1 hectare, up to 2.5ha | £578 per 0.1ha (April 2024) |

Note: The fee for new dwellings increased significantly in April 2024 (from £462 to £578 per dwelling). For a developer submitting a planning application for 10 dwellings, the fee is £5,780.

**Fees for commercial and other applications**:

| Application type | Fee from December 2023 / April 2024 | |---|---| | Change of use (not including new dwellings) — floor area 0–40m² | £258 | | Change of use — floor area 40.1–75m² | £578 | | Change of use — floor area 75.1–3,750m² | £578 per 75m² (or part thereof) | | HMO conversion (change of use from C3 dwellinghouse to C4 HMO) | £578 | | Conservation Area consent (demolition in a Conservation Area) | £258 | | Listed Building Consent (works to a listed building — statutory duty; Planning Act fee) | £0 (listed building consent is free) | | Advertisement consent | £578 (from December 2023) |

**Pre-application advice fees**:

Many London boroughs charge for pre-application advice — a formal meeting or written response from a planning officer before the planning application is submitted. Pre-application advice helps identify issues before the application is submitted, potentially reducing the risk of refusal. Fees vary by borough and by the scale of the proposed development:

| Pre-application advice type (typical London borough) | Typical fee | |---|---| | Minor householder scheme pre-application (written response) | £0–£250 | | Minor householder scheme pre-application (meeting) | £250–£500 | | Small residential scheme (1–4 units) | £500–£1,500 | | Medium residential scheme (5–9 units) | £1,500–£4,000 |

Pre-application advice fees vary significantly between London boroughs — check the relevant borough's planning website for the current fee schedule before requesting pre-application advice.

**Free resubmission (one free go within 12 months)**:

• Approved Document guidance and the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) allow one free resubmission of a planning application within 12 months of a refused or withdrawn application, provided:
• •The resubmission is for the same or a similar proposal on the same site
• •The resubmission is made within 12 months of the decision or withdrawal date
• •The resubmission is made by the same applicant

This 'free go' allowance means that a refused householder application (£258) can be resubmitted (with revisions addressing the reasons for refusal) at no additional fee, within 12 months. If the first application is refused and the revised application (incorporating changes recommended by the planning officer) is submitted within 12 months, the resubmission fee is £0.

**Planning appeal fees**:

Appeals against a refused or non-determined planning application are made to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS). Written representation appeals are free for householder applications. The appeal types and fees (England, 2025):

| Appeal type | Fee | |---|---| | Householder appeal (written representations) | £0 (free) | | Appeal against enforcement notice (written representations) | £0 (free) | | Appeal — minor commercial (written representations) | £0 | | Appeal — major developments (written representations) | £0 |

All planning appeals to PINS in England are currently free of charge — the government funds the appeal process. However, if the applicant chooses to use a planning consultant or solicitor to present the appeal, professional fees apply.

**Building Regulations fees (separate from planning fees)**:

Building Regulations fees are entirely separate from planning fees and are paid to the Building Control body (either the local authority Building Control or an Approved Inspector). They are commonly confused with planning fees by clients. Building Regulations fees depend on whether a Building Notice or Full Plans application is made, and on the estimated cost of the building works:

| Building Regs application type | Estimated works value | Typical local authority Building Control fee (London, 2025) | |---|---| | Building Notice or Full Plans — residential extension | £20,000–£50,000 works value | £450–£900 (charge + inspection fee) | | Building Notice or Full Plans — residential extension | £50,000–£100,000 works value | £900–£1,600 | | Building Notice or Full Plans — loft conversion | £20,000–£50,000 works value | £600–£1,200 | | Building Notice or Full Plans — new dwelling | £150,000–£300,000 works value | £2,000–£4,500 |

Note: Building Regulations fees vary between local authorities. Approved Inspectors (private Building Control bodies) set their own fees competitively — often slightly lower than local authority Building Control for straightforward residential applications. Always obtain a Building Control fee quotation from the relevant body before the application is submitted.

**Other costs commonly included with planning applications**:

• •*Design and Access Statement*: Not a planning fee, but typically required for larger or non-householder applications; produced by the architect; cost included in professional fees
• •*Planning consultant fee*: Where a planning consultant is engaged to manage the application (write the supporting planning statement, correspond with the planning officer, advise on strategy); typically £1,500–£5,000 for a householder or small residential application in London
• •*Ecology and biodiversity net gain (BNG) assessment*: Since April 2024, biodiversity net gain (BNG) is mandatory for most major planning applications in England (minor residential applications are exempt until later phased implementation); BNG assessment by an ecologist: £1,000–£3,000 for a residential scheme
• •*Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)*: Not a planning application fee but a financial contribution payable on commencement of certain types of development (including many London extensions above 100m² of new floorspace); CIL is set by the local authority and varies significantly by borough; Mayoral CIL applies across London at £25–£80/m²; borough CIL adds to this for residential development in many boroughs