Significant Increase in Planning Fees from April 2025

From 1st April 2025, planning application fees in England will see a dramatic rise under new regulations aimed at addressing the £362 million funding shortfall faced by local authority planning departments. This increase, detailed in the draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025, doubles many fees to reflect the actual costs of processing applications.

Key changes include:

• Householder application fees rising by 105% to £528.

• Fees for applications involving two or more homes increasing from £509 to £1,043.

• Prior approval fees for building operations rising from £258 to £516.

  
  

A new three-tier system will also be introduced for Section 73 applications, with fees ranging from £86 for householders to £2,000 for major developments. Fees for biodiversity net gain plans will also double to £298.

These changes follow a 35% fee rise for major applications and 25% for others in December 2023, which fell short of bridging the resource gap. The government emphasises that the increases are vital to boost the capacity of local planning authorities, particularly as 52% of decisions relate to householder applications.

The updated fees will not apply to applications submitted before 1st April 2025, ensuring a transitional period for ongoing projects.

For planning professionals and developers, these changes underline the growing financial pressures on the system and the government’s drive to strengthen planning services through improved funding.

The increase in fees is to reflect the actual costs of processing applications