Updates in Planning Fees: Key Changes Effective March 31, 2025
The introduction of an automatic, annual increase in planning application fees will take effect on March 31, 2025, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests, and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. This change means that all planning fees will rise annually, indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the preceding September. However, this increase is capped at 10%, and fees will not change in the event of deflation.
Additionally, there will be an increase in the Planning Portal service charge, which will now be £70.83 + VAT.
Key Deadlines for Submission
To avoid paying the increased fees, applicants should take note of the following deadlines:
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Draft Applications:
If an application is in ‘draft’ mode on the Planning Portal on March 31, 2025, the system will reset all draft fee calculations at approximately 5:00 PM in preparation for the increase. Any subsequent submission will be subject to the new fees. -
Ready-to-Submit Applications:
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Payments must be received and cleared by 5:00 PM on March 31, 2025.
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Bank transfer payments should be initiated before March 26, 2025 to ensure timely processing.
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Cheque payments must reach Planning Portal Headquarters by March 19, 2025.
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Further information regarding submission deadlines can be found on the Planning Portal website.
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Fee Increases
Several planning application fees will be increasing, with some notable changes including:
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Prior Approval (under Permitted Development Rights):
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Previously: £120
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New Fee: £240
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Larger Home Extensions, Agricultural and Forestry Buildings, and Change of Use from an Agricultural Building to a Dwelling House (without building operations):
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New Fee: £240
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Removal or Variation of Conditions:
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Householder development: £86
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Non-major development: £586
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Major development: £2,000
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Discharge of Condition Applications:
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For alterations/extensions to dwellinghouses or works within/along the boundary of a dwellinghouse: £86 (previously £43)
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For any other type of development: £298 (previously £149)
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For a full list of application fees, please visit:
Planning Portal Application Fees
Potential Future Changes
As part of the Government’s consultation on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, there is a possibility that planning fees could be set by Local Authorities in the future. Should this change take effect, a detailed update will be provided.
Applicants and stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed and plan their submissions accordingly to avoid unexpected increases in fees. For further details and guidance, please refer to the Planning Portal website.
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