Find your best local estate agent Start here
The cost of planning permission varies widely depending on the type of planning permission you need and where in the UK you live. We look at how much you’ll need to pay and any other costs you’ll face when applying for planning permission.
Here’s an overview of how much planning permission costs in England. Some of these are essential costs you’ll need to pay while others will apply to your circumstances.
| Cost of applying for planning permission | From £258 |
| Lawful development certificate | £129 |
| Planning portal service charge | £70 |
| Pre-application advice | £60-£200 |
| Planning application drawings | £1,000+ |
| Planning consultant | £1,000- £3,000 |
| Appealing a planning permission decision | £0 |
| Retrospective planning permission | £258+ |
| Structural engineer cost | £350-£450 |
| Building regulation approval | £300-£500 |
The cost of applying for planning permission in England is £258. This is the cost of householder planning applications, which cover alterations to single houses including extensions.
If you need to apply for full planning permission because you’re making significant alterations to your house, the cost is also £258. However, applying for full planning permission if you’re building a house costs £578.
For multi-unit housing applications, the costs are different. For example, to make a full planning application for two or more dwellinghouses (technical planning jargon which basically means someone’s home), the cost is £509. And if you’re building more than 10 houses, it’s more per house.
Planning permission application fees will increase annually on 1 April each year, starting on 1 April 2025.
This is as a result of the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 which introduced an automatic, annual increase. All planning fees will be increased by the CPI rate of inflation from the preceding September, capped at 10%.
However, even more increases in planning application fees may be on the horizon. The Government has outlined proposals to increase the householder planning application fee from £258 to £528 in England in a consultation on suggested National Planning Policy Framework reforms. The consultation closed on 24 September 2024. We’ll update this page if any changes are confirmed.
Find a local planning consultant near you to help with your planning application
A planning consultant can help with a Planning Permission Application or Planning Appeal.
The cost of householder applications for alterations or extensions to a single dwelling (excluding flats) costs £230 in Wales. Full planning applications for two or more dwellings, or one of more flats, costs £460. While for new dwellings, as long as the development has less than 50 dwellings, the cost is £460 per dwelling.
A household application to make alterations or an extension to a single dwellinghouse in Scotland costs £300, while making a full planning permission application to build a house in Scotland costs £600.
The planning application fee to extend a home in Northern Ireland costs £327, while the cost of planning permission to build a single house costs £975.
There are other types of planning permissions with different costs, find out more in the Planning Portal.
If you can carry out the works under your permitted development rights, you can avoid the cost of having to make a planning application. However, if you do this it’s advisable to get a lawful development certificate (LDC). While not compulsory, getting an LDC can avoid complications further down the line such as when you’re selling your house as you’ll need to prove to your buyers that your works were completed within the permitted development rights of the time. Find out more in our guide Do I need planning permission?
Getting a lawful development certificate is 50% of the cost of the corresponding planning application. So for a householder project, a lawful development certificate would cost £129. However, if you apply for a lawful development certificate retrospectively, you’ll need to pay double – so you’ll pay the same amount as a planning application fee. Find out more in our guide Permitted development explained.
In addition to the planning application costs, there may be a cost for submitting the application. Local authority planning departments encourage homeowners to submit via a national online database called The Planning Portal as it’s meant to be more efficient.
If you’re submitting your planning application online via the Planning Portal, you’ll need to pay a service charge of £70 inc VAT. However, applications with planning fees below £60 will not incur this fee.
Some councils will let you email your planning application or submit a printed version by post or by hand for free. But some councils may charge a fee if you don’t use the Planning Portal to make your application, so you should check with your council.
According to the Planning Portal, one benefit of using the Portal is that it could save time and avoid delays. It says that local planning authorities report that applications submitted via the Portal are ‘quicker and easier to validate and process because the Portal ensures all elements of each application are complete, are in the correct format and meet each LPA’s individual application requirements’.
Pre-application advice allows discussion with a planning officer before you submit your planning application. Some councils will not charge for their pre app service. But many councils do charge and there are no statutory limits on the cost of pre-app advice. Fees vary depending on council and also on the level of service you want. For example, you may be charged more if you require a site visit. You may expect to pay between £60-£200 for pre-application advice. But in some cases it will be more.
But think carefully before paying for pre-application advice. Not only will it cost you money but there are no time limits for pre-application advice. So if your application is relatively straight forward you may decide it’s not worth it. If you’re working with a planning consultant, they’ll advise you on whether it’s worth getting pre-application advice.
Find a local planning consultant near you to help with your planning application.
If you’re using an architect, the cost of planning application drawings for a single storey extension is typically £1,000-£2,500, while for a two storey extension planning application costs are typically £2,000-£3,500. But costs of architect fees will vary depending on factors like complexity of the project and location.
You can draw the designs yourself to save money but be aware that you will need a set of accurate floor plans for your designs and elevations (which show the vertical view of your design internally and externally). These drawings need to be to scale and demonstrate how your project is in keeping with its surroundings. This isn’t just important for planning but also to guide your builder. Read our guides on Do I need an architect? and Renovation projects without an architect for more information
Find Architects near you, discuss your project and get quotes.
Paying for a planning consultant can be a good investment because unless you already have a local architect designing and submitting your plans, with a track record of getting planning permission in your area, a good planning consultant can help you get planning permission. They will have experience with the local planning restrictions, what gets through and what doesn’t, local targets and other preferences to ensure your project is tailored accordingly.
They can also save you time by making sure you don’t forget to submit any important documents.
Specialist input is sometimes useful at the start of the project while other occasions, getting a professional’s opinion can be useful if things go wrong, such as if your application is refused and you want to appeal (read on for more on this).
The cost of a planning consultant will vary depending on the size and complexity of the project. But expect to pay from around £1,000. It’s important to shop around and get quotes from different planning consultants.
Start by asking friends if they would recommend a planning consultant they’ve used. Next, use our handy tool to find local Planning Consultants near you.
After you’ve used our search tool to find local Planning Consultants, it is useful to initially contact them and speak in general terms about your requirements. Before appointing a Planning Consultant, you should reassure yourself that your chosen supplier has satisfactory experience to provide the level of service that you require.
Find a local planning consultant near you to help with your planning application
A planning consultant can help with a Planning Permission Application or Planning Appeal.
In some cases a Planning Application may be rejected. Keep in mind that you can always put in a Planning Appeal by modifying your application and hopefully getting it closer to meeting the requirements of local planners. Appealing a planning permission decision is free, although as a homeowner you must lodge your appeal within three months of it being refused.
Using a planning consultant with experience of successfully appealing, particularly against your local authority, may make the process a lot quicker.
Also, you may be able to claim costs incurred during your planning permission appeal if someone involved in the appeal acts unreasonably and costs you money. Find information on how to make a claim on the government website.
Find more information in our guide What to do when a Planning Application is refused
The cost of making a retrospective planning application is the same as if you make your application before you start work. But it comes with added risks because planning permission is not guaranteed. And if your retrospective planning permission application is refused you’ll be required to put things back to how they were unless you appeal the decision and get it overturned. This can be a lengthy, expensive and stressful process so it’s always advisable to apply for planning permission before starting work.
When you’re making home improvements that involve the stability of your property, you’ll probably need a structural engineer. They will provide structural drawings and calculations which will be used by your building contractor and architect during the renovation work.
This may also need to be given to Building Control in order to comply with Building Regulations or, depending on the scale of the renovation, to Planning Officials in order to obtain planning permission.
Projects which often require the services of a structural engineer include building an extension, loft conversions and garage conversions. Costs vary but a structural engineer may charge around £350-£450 for a basic residential project. Read more in our guide on Structural engineer costs.
A structural engineer can provide structural calculations or carry out a structural inspection on your home.
The cost of building regulation approval varies according to local authority fee rates and the nature of the work. As a rule of thumb, most conversion, renovation or extension work will cost from around £100 to submit full plans and a further £200 – £400 for inspections. Approved Inspection fees are usually similar in terms of a total charge.
Read more in Do I need building regulations approval for my project?
If you’re undertaking a self-build project you may face additional costs during the planning application process such as:
Outline planning permission is when you want to find out whether your proposed plans will be acceptable in whole or in part. You’ll usually need to give less information for outline planning permission. So developers or landowners will sometimes use it to see if a proposed development is acceptable in principle, without needing to pay for the cost of preparing detailed plans.
For sites less than 0.5 hectares, the cost is £578 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof).
For sites between 0.5 hectares and 2.5 hectares, the cost is £624 for each 0.1 hectare
(or part thereof).
While for sites more than 2.5 hectares, the cost is £15,433+ £186 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares. There’s a maximum fee of £202,500
If you need to pay for planning permission for an extension, in most cases you would need to make a householder application which costs £258 in England. However, many extensions will be covered under your permitted development rights which means you won’t need to pay for planning permission. Although it’s advisable to get a Lawful Development Certificate, which you will need to pay for. Find out more in our guide Permitted development explained.
If the plans for your loft extension fall under the scope of permitted development you won’t need to apply for planning permission. But if you do need planning permission, in most cases you’ll need to make a householder application which costs £258 in England.
You should pay the planning permission fee at the same time as making your planning permission application.
In England, planning fees are set nationally by the government and are detailed in the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012, as amended.
A Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) is a project management tool which allows all parties to agree timescales, actions and resources for handling planning applications. PPAs are usually agreed at the pre-application stage and relate to the whole development process. PPAs can be used for any type of application but are most effective for complex and major planning applications. Planning Performance Agreement typically cost around £5,000 for a complex householder project but can cost significantly more for major developments.
Planning permission is designed to control the way areas are developed, while building regulations are aimed at making sure building standards are met so building work is done correctly and safely. If you need building regulations approval, the cost varies according to local authority fee rates and the nature of the work. Find out more in our guide Do I need building regulations approval?
HomeOwners Alliance Ltd is registered in England, company number 07861605. Information provided on HomeOwners Alliance is not intended as a recommendation or financial advice.
Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), Unit 26 (2.06), Newark Works, 2 Foundry Lane, Bath BA2 3GZ, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
HomeOwners Alliance Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of Seopa Ltd, for home insurance, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN: 313860).
HomeOwners Alliance Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of LifeSearch Limited, an Appointed Representative of LifeSearch Partners Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. (FRN: 656479).
Independent Financial Adviser service is provided by Unbiased, who match you to a fully regulated, independent financial adviser, with no charge to you for the referral.
Bridging Loan and specialist lending service provided by Chartwell Funding Limited, registered office 5 Badminton Court, Station Road, Yate, Bristol, BS37 5HZ, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 458223). Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any debt secured on it.
