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Two costs get muddled when people ask what a project costs to get approved: the statutory fee paid to the council and Planning Portal, and the professional fee for the drawings. Answer three questions to see both — clearly separated, from figures we publish, not a guess.
These are application and drawing costs only. They do not include your build cost — the contractor’s price depends on the specifics of your property and specification, and is the one figure no one can responsibly quote from a form, so we don’t. Statutory fees shown apply from 1 April 2026 for England and are indexed each 1 April.
Prefer to browse? Here is the likely cost picture for the projects we are asked about most. Each splits the two costs people often merge — what you pay the council and Planning Portal, and our fixed fee for the drawings. It is guidance only; the route and exact fee depend on the specific property, which we confirm first.
These are application and drawing costs only. They do not include your build cost — the contractor’s price depends on the specifics of your property and specification, and is the one figure no one can responsibly quote from a form, so we don’t.
Either permitted development (optional certificate) or a householder application
Either a £274 Lawful Development Certificate to confirm the work is permitted development, or a £548 householder application if permission is needed — plus the £91.02 inc. VAT Portal charge on whichever is submitted.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: Standard Planning Drawings Package, from £1,450–£1,950 inc. VAT.
Householder planning application (permitted development is often restricted here)
About £639 to the council and Portal — the £548 householder application fee plus the £91.02 inc. VAT Portal charge — where an application is needed.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: Planning Route Review, £395 inc. VAT.
Either permitted development (optional certificate) or a householder application
Either a £274 Lawful Development Certificate to confirm the work is permitted development, or a £548 householder application if permission is needed — plus the £91.02 inc. VAT Portal charge on whichever is submitted.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: Standard Planning Drawings Package, from £1,450–£1,950 inc. VAT.
Usually building regulations only — no planning application
Internal alterations to an unlisted house usually need building regulations approval rather than planning permission, so there is normally no planning application fee. Building control charges a separate fee, which varies by the body you use.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: Building Regulations / Technical Drawing Package, from £2,750–£4,950 inc. VAT.
Freeholder consent (Licence to Alter) — planning only where external or structural work needs it
A Licence to Alter is a private agreement with your freeholder, so there is no council application fee. If the work also needs planning permission, that fee differs from the householder fee and we confirm it for your application.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: Licence to Alter / Flat Refurbishment Drawing Pack, from £1,500–£2,750 inc. VAT.
Full planning permission — borough basement policy applies
This uses a full planning application rather than the fixed householder fee, so the council fee varies with the scheme — we confirm it at scoping. The £91.02 Portal charge also applies.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: quoted after a £395 Planning Route Review.
Listed building consent — often alongside planning permission
Listed building consent itself carries no statutory fee, but many projects also need planning permission (with its own fee and the £91.02 Portal charge). The real cost here is the heritage-led drawings and justification, which we quote after a review.
Our fixed fee for the drawings: quoted after a £395 Planning Route Review.
These are the fees set by government and paid to the council or the Planning Portal — not our design fees. They are the figures the estimator above draws on.
Statutory fees paid to the council
England, from 1 April 2026
| Application type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Householder planning applicationThe application to a single dwellinghouse most extensions, loft conversions and alterations use. Rose from £258 to £528 on 1 April 2025 and to £548 on 1 April 2026. | £548 |
| Lawful Development Certificate (proposed)Confirms a proposed householder project is permitted development and needs no planning permission — half the householder application fee. | £274 |
| Prior approval — larger home extensionThe prior-approval route for a single-storey rear extension beyond the standard permitted-development depth. | £249 |
| Listed building consentNo application fee is payable — but consent is required for many alterations to a listed building, and the drawings and heritage justification are more involved. | No fee |
| Discharge of a planning condition (householder)Per request to approve details a condition on a granted permission requires before work starts. | £89 |
| Planning Portal service chargeA separate charge per application submitted online through the Planning Portal — it goes to the Portal, not the council, and is on top of the fee above. | £91.02 inc. VAT |
Fees shown apply from 1 April 2026 for England and are set by government, not by us. They are indexed annually each 1 April, so check the current figure for your application before you budget. Fees for flats, changes of use and larger schemes differ.
Sources: Planning Portal — Application Fees England (1 April 2026); MHCLG — Planning fees: annual indexation from 1 April 2026.
Send us the property address, the works you are planning and any deadlines. We will confirm the likely application route, the exact council fee and a fixed fee for the drawings — with no obligation.