A draft fee schedule has been published which if adopted will see an increase in some planning fees from 1st April 2025.
In summary, the proposed fee increases are as follows:
Householder Applications
Increase the fee for applications for the enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a single dwellinghouse from £258 to £528.
Increase the fee for applications for the enlargement, improvement or other alteration of two or more dwellinghouses from £509 to £1,043.
The fee of £258 for householder developments related to small-scale operations within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse remains unchanged.
Prior Approvals
The flat fee for prior approval applications that do not involve building operations is increasing from £120 to £240.
The flat fee for prior approval applications that involve building operations is increasing from £258 to £516.
The fee for prior approvals relating to the change of use of Class E uses to residential (under Class MA of the GDPO) is increased from £125 per dwellinghouse to £250 per dwellinghouse.
The fees for prior approvals related to the construction of new dwellinghouses remain unchanged.
Section 73 Applications
There is a new three-tier fee structure for section 73 applications:
£86 for householder applications
£586 for non-major development; and
£2,000 for major development
Discharge of Conditions
The fee for an application for approval of details reserved by condition is increasing from:
£43 to £86 for householders and
£145 to £298 for any other development
Fee for submission of a Biodiversity Gain Plan is increasing from £145 to £298.
As planning application fees are now subject to indexation, the draft order also changes the “fee increase date” for the amended rates. The increased fee rates will be fixed for a year and not updated (to take account on inflation) until 1 April 2026.
Giles Moir, Director at Chapman Lily Planning commented “the introduction of a tiered approach for Section 73 planning applications is something that applicants will need to be mindful of and whether there is an opportunity to solidate variations into a single submission”. Chapman Lily Planning would be happy to advise on the potential implications for the forthcoming fee increase for your project.”