Council Application Fees Are Increasing in 2025: What You Need to Know
If you’re planning a building project, it’s important to know about the significant changes to council application fees coming into effect from 1 April 2025. These changes will result in higher costs for most applications, so submitting yours sooner could save you money.
Current Fees (2024)
Here’s what you’d pay for planning applications right now, including the £70 online service charge:
Application TypeCurrent Fee
(inc. Service Charge)Householder Planning Application£328Lawful Development Certificate
(Permitted Development)£199Prior Approval
(Larger Homes Extension Scheme)£190Prior Approval
(Other Extensions/Alterations, e.g. new storey)£328Full Planning Application
(Alterations to Flats)£532Full Planning Application
(One New Dwelling)£532Prior Approval
(Change of Use to Residential – MA)£195
Per DwellingPrior Approval
(Other Changes of Use)£190
To benefit from the current fees, we’d advise booking your survey by 14th February 2025, so that there’s plenty of time for you to go through the architectural process and for us to submit the plans before 1st April 2025.
New Fees (1 April 2025)
Here’s what you can expect to pay for the same applications from April 2025. These include the £70 online service charge:
Application TypeIncreased
By…New Fee
(inc. Service Charge)Householder Planning Application+ £270£598Lawful Development Certificate
(Permitted Development)+ £165£364Prior Approval
(Larger Homes Extension Scheme)+ £120£310Prior Approval
(Other Extensions/Alterations, e.g. new storey)+ £258£586Full Planning Application
(Alterations to Flats)+ £126£658Full Planning Application
(One New Dwelling)+ £126£658Prior Approval
(Change of Use to Residential – MA)+ £125
Per Dwelling£320
Per DwellingPrior Approval
(Other Changes of Use)+ £120£310
What’s Changing?
Annual Fee Increases: Starting in 2025, fees will go up every year on 1 April based on inflation (up to a maximum of 10%).
“Free-Go” Removed: If your application is rejected or withdrawn, you’ll now have to pay the fee again to resubmit. This has been in effect since 6th December 2023.
Why Start Your Project Now?
Starting your project before April 2025 could save you hundreds of pounds in fees. With demand expected to rise as the deadline approaches, acting sooner could also help avoid delays.
To benefit from the current fees, we’d advise booking your survey by 14th February 2025, so that there’s plenty of time for you to go through the proposed design (planning) process and for us to submit the plans before 1st April 2025.
What Should I Do Next?
Contact us today to get started—if you’re ready to begin, we’ll book your survey and help you navigate the application process.
If your quote is more than three months old, we’ll need to provide you with a new quote to reflect our current pricing. However, we’ll do our best to keep the costs as close to your original quote as possible.
Need more information? Let us know! We’re happy to explain how the fee changes might affect your project.
We’re here to make your project as smooth and affordable as possible and we look forward to hopefully working with you!
Best wishes,
Lily & the Plan It Team
Disclaimer
The information provided in this blog post reflects the most up-to-date planning fee details available at the time of writing. While we strive for accuracy, the final fees are subject to confirmation by the UK Government and may differ slightly when formally announced. We recommend contacting us directly or consulting the Planning Portal for the latest updates before submitting your application.
