Planning Application Fees in London 2025: How Much It Costs to Apply for Planning Permission

**The December 2023 fee increase**:

In December 2023, the government increased planning application fees in England by approximately 25% for most residential application categories — the first significant fee increase in over a decade. The increased fees apply to all applications submitted on or after 6 December 2023. This guide uses the current (2025) fee levels — always check the Planning Portal or contact the LPA for the absolute current fee before submitting, as fees can change without significant notice.

**Householder planning permission fee (2025)**:

A householder application is the standard planning permission application for works to an existing house (extension, loft conversion, garage conversion, outbuilding, fence, porch). The current householder fee in England (2025) is:

**£258 per application**

This is a flat fee regardless of the size of the extension — a single-storey rear extension and a double-storey wrap-around extension both attract the same £258 householder fee. The fee covers the LPA's cost of processing the application and consulting with statutory consultees.

The fee is per application, not per property. If you submit one application for an extension AND a detached outbuilding together, that is one application = £258. If you submit them separately (two separate applications), that is two applications = £516.

Note: householder applications apply only to existing dwellinghouses. Flats and maisonettes are not classed as dwellinghouses for planning purposes — works to a flat typically require a 'full' planning application (not householder), which attracts a different fee.

**Full planning application fee for dwellinghouses**:

Where a dwellinghouse is being converted into flats, or where the application involves the construction of a new dwellinghouse (not an extension to an existing house), a 'full' planning application is required. The fee is based on the floor area of the development:

• •For applications creating new dwellings: £578 per dwelling for the first 50 dwellings
• •For extensions to flats or change of use applications affecting residential premises: £578

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

A Lawful Development Certificate is a formal certificate issued by the LPA confirming that a development is lawful — either because it is permitted development (existing LDC) or because a proposed development would be permitted development (proposed LDC).

• LDC applications are submitted when:
• •The homeowner wants certainty that their proposed extension is permitted development (before building starts)
• •The homeowner wants to establish the lawfulness of works already completed (particularly useful before a sale, where a buyer's solicitor has raised concerns about planning compliance)
• •The extension or loft conversion was completed without formal documentation and the homeowner needs to establish lawfulness for conveyancing purposes

• LDC fee (England, 2025):
• •LDC for a proposed development (proposed LDC): **£129** (half the householder application fee)
• •LDC for an existing development (existing LDC): **£129**

Note: there is no appeal route for refused LDC applications in the same way as for refused planning applications. If the LPA refuses an LDC, the options are: apply again with additional evidence; apply for planning permission instead; or challenge the refusal in the High Court.

**Prior Approval fees**:

Certain types of permitted development require 'Prior Approval' — the LPA must assess whether specific matters (appearance, flooding, highways, transport, contamination, etc.) are acceptable before the development can proceed. This is different from full planning permission but involves a fee.

Common Prior Approval categories for London residential:

*Larger Home Extension (LHE) / Prior Approval for larger single-storey rear extension*: Allows single-storey rear extensions up to 8m (detached houses) or 6m (semi-detached and terraced houses) — larger than the standard permitted development limits (4m and 3m) — subject to neighbour consultation. Fee: **£258** (same as householder application fee). Note: 'larger home extension' prior approval is only applicable to houses (not flats); the extension must be single-storey.

*Householder Prior Approval — change of use from commercial to residential*: The change of use of a commercial building to residential use under permitted development (Class MA — office to dwellinghouse) requires prior approval. Fee: **£105 per dwelling** created.

**Retrospective planning applications**:

Where works have been carried out without planning permission (where it was required), a retrospective planning application can be made. The fee for a retrospective householder application is the same as for a prospective application — **£258**. However, a retrospective application does not guarantee that permission will be granted: the LPA can refuse it and then issue enforcement action requiring the works to be demolished.

**Discharge of Planning Conditions fee**:

As described in the separate planning condition discharge guide, a discharge of conditions application is required to formally satisfy pre-commencement (or other) planning conditions. The fee (England, 2025):

• •**£34 per request**, subject to a maximum of **£116 per application** (where multiple conditions are discharged in a single application submission)

So: discharging one condition = £34. Discharging 5 conditions in a single application = capped at £116 (not £170). Submitting all pre-commencement conditions in one application (maximum efficiency) = £116 total.

Note: the fee cap applies per application submission — not per session or per project. If you submit a discharge of conditions application for conditions 1–4 (£116 cap), and then submit a second discharge application for conditions 5–6 (£68), the total is £184. Consolidating all conditions into a single application saves money.

**Listed Building Consent (LBC) fee**:

Works to a listed building that affect its character (virtually any external or internal structural work) require listed building consent in addition to any planning permission. The listed building consent fee (England, 2025):

• •**£0 — Listed Building Consent is FREE**

This is frequently not understood by applicants. Irrespective of the extent of the works to a listed building, the application for listed building consent itself attracts no fee. However, any associated planning application (if planning permission is also required for external alterations) will attract its normal fee (£258 for householder works).

**Conservation Area Consent fee**:

Conservation Area Consent (previously a separate application type for demolition in a conservation area) has been abolished — demolition of buildings in a conservation area now requires 'prior approval for demolition of buildings in a conservation area' or is dealt with under planning permission. In most cases, demolition of a building over a certain size in a conservation area requires a full planning application.

**Advertisement Consent fee**:

Where signage or advertisements are proposed (relevant for HMO conversions where a commercial signage element may be part of the planning application), advertisement consent fees apply. Current fee: £147 for most advertisement consent applications.

**Tree-related application fees**:

• Works to trees in conservation areas (requiring Section 211 notification) or trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) (requiring an application for consent to work on a protected tree):
• •Section 211 notification (works to Conservation Area trees): **FREE**
• •TPO application (consent to work on a protected tree): **£0 — FREE**

**Appeal fees**:

Appeals against planning refusals (householder or other residential appeals) to the Planning Inspectorate are currently **free** — there is no appeal fee charged to the applicant. The government has proposed introducing an appeal fee, but as of 2025 this has not been implemented.

**Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) fees**:

For complex or major applications, some London LPAs offer Planning Performance Agreements — a pre-application arrangement where the LPA agrees to allocate dedicated officer time and agreed timescales. PPAs attract an additional fee negotiated with the LPA — typically £2,000–£10,000+ for a major application. PPAs are not relevant to standard householder applications.

**Pre-application advice fees**:

• Many London LPAs offer a pre-application advice service — the ability to discuss a proposed development with a planning officer before submitting a formal application. Pre-application advice typically:
• •Is not free (most London Boroughs charge for pre-application meetings)
• •Costs £100–£500+ for a householder enquiry depending on the borough
• •Provides indicative officer views on the likely outcome of a formal application
• •Does not bind the LPA — a positive pre-application response does not guarantee planning permission
• •Is useful where the outcome is genuinely uncertain (conservation area; Article 4 direction; unusual development)

For straightforward rear extension applications in non-conservation areas, pre-application advice is rarely necessary. For loft conversions requiring dormer windows in a conservation area; extensions in an area with a design code; or any application where planning officers have previously indicated concerns, pre-application advice can prevent a refused application and its associated costs.

**Who is exempt from paying planning fees?**

Several categories of application attract a fee exemption or reduction:

• *1. Disabled access adaptations*:
• Applications for works that are solely for the benefit of a registered disabled person who lives (or intends to live) at the dwelling are exempt from the householder application fee. This exemption covers:
• •Ramps and access paths
• •Widened doorways
• •Level access shower rooms
• •Stairlifts and through-floor lifts
• •Any works that would benefit only the disabled occupant

The application must be accompanied by evidence confirming the disability status and the purpose of the works.

*2. Agricultural buildings exemption*: Applications for certain agricultural buildings may attract a reduced fee — not relevant to residential London projects.

*3. Charities*: Some local planning authorities offer reduced fees for registered charities — this is discretionary and varies by borough.

**Planning fee strategy for London residential projects**:

For a London homeowner planning an extension, loft conversion, or other residential works, the practical planning fee implications are:

*If the works are clearly permitted development*: Consider whether a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is worth obtaining — particularly before a sale. An LDC provides certainty and a formal document confirming lawfulness. Cost: £129. Time: 8 weeks for the LPA to determine. Value: significant — prevents future disputes about compliance; satisfies buyer's solicitor enquiries; provides evidence for the future that the works were lawful at the time.

*If the works require householder planning permission*: One fee of £258 covers the entire application, regardless of the size of the extension. Submit all proposed works in a single application to avoid paying multiple fees. Include ancillary items (outbuilding; new fence; change to window configuration) in the same application if planning permission would be needed for those items.

*If the planning permission comes with pre-commencement conditions*: Submit all pre-commencement conditions in a single discharge of conditions application to minimise fees (capped at £116). Do not submit conditions one at a time (£34 each, uncapped per separate application).

• *If a conservation area or listed building is involved*:
• •Listed Building Consent is free — this is often not known
• •Conservation area works (not demolition) are typically dealt with under the householder application
• •Pre-application advice in a conservation area (£200–£500 per enquiry) may be worth paying to avoid a refused application (which wastes the £258 application fee and delays the project by 3–4 months)

**Building Regulations application fees — separate from planning fees**:

Building Regulations application fees are separate from planning fees and are paid to Building Control (either the Local Authority Building Control or an Approved Inspector). The Building Regulations fee structure is:

*Full Plans application fee*: For a standard single-storey rear extension (floor area 10–40m²): typically £400–£900 (plan fee + inspection fee combined) to the Local Authority Building Control. Approved Inspector fees vary but are often similar or slightly higher.

*Building Notice*: A Building Notice (where no plans are submitted — Building Control inspect during construction) attracts a similar fee to the Full Plans approach but with a single upfront payment.

Both the Planning Application fee and the Building Regulations fee are distinct costs that must be budgeted for as part of the pre-construction costs of a London residential extension. Together (planning + Building Regulations) they typically total £600–£1,200 for a standard householder extension project.