Homeowner guides · Planning news · Published 5 October 2026
England planning fees from April 2026: a homeowner update
Check the householder planning application fee and separate application charges from design, surveys and construction costs before a London project.
What changed, and when
The statutory planning application fees in England changed on 1 April 2026. This homeowner update, published on 5 October 2026, explains the relevant fee categories for a London renovation or extension. It is a recap of the April fee schedule, rather than an announcement of a further change today.
The standard householder application fee for an alteration or extension to a single dwelling is £548. An application for a new dwelling falls into a different category: the published fee is £610 per dwelling for applications in the applicable smaller-development band. Do not apply a new-dwelling fee to an ordinary house extension simply because the project adds floor space.
An application charge is only one part of the budget
The statutory application fee is the payment for the relevant application category. It is separate from professional work such as measured surveys, architectural design, structural engineering and any other supporting information the property requires. Construction, materials and finishing costs belong in separate budget lines as well.
That separation makes a project estimate easier to understand. Ask each quotation to show the application charge, the professional scope and any assumptions or exclusions. A single figure described as a planning cost can hide quite different services. Statutory planning application fees do not attract VAT; check the VAT treatment of professional services separately with the provider.
Other categories have different fees
A proposed-use lawful development certificate for a householder extension has a published fee of £274; the corresponding existing-use householder category is £548. These categories answer different questions. A certificate application should not be treated as a substitute for any permission that the project actually requires.
The published householder fee for approval of details reserved by a planning condition is £89. A householder non-material amendment application is £46. Different development types carry different charges. Where a prior approval route is applicable, its published fee category may be £249. The appropriate route and fee depend on the proposal: confirm the application category before payment.
Keep the application and programme aligned
A useful project programme identifies who is preparing the information, who will submit the application and when any additional specialist input will be needed. Ask the design team what is included if the authority requests clarification, and how changes to the brief will be handled.
The government’s usual statutory determination period is eight weeks for non-major applications, with different periods for major development or applications subject to environmental impact assessment. That is a statutory target, not a promised completion date for your project. Validation, missing information and agreed extensions can affect the actual programme. Do not book construction around an assumed decision date without checking the project’s position.
A quick homeowner checklist
- Confirm whether the proposal is a householder alteration, another development type or a certificate application.
- Keep the statutory fee separate from the design and supporting-information quote.
- Ask who pays and submits the application.
- Check what revisions and follow-up work the professional scope includes.
- Confirm the current category and fee with the official schedule before payment.
- Keep the programme flexible until the required consents and project information are clear.
Check the official schedule and discuss your project
Sources: Planning Portal: English planning application fees, Planning Portal: what an application costs, and government guidance on determining an application. Figures checked against these sources for this update.
For the wider budget, read our planning cost and timeline guide. Book a free Suddeco Homes survey to discuss the property, the project brief and the next steps with the team.