Planning costs to rise in 2025: how will it affect you?
If you're thinking about making some changes to your home, whether it's a home extension, a loft conversion, or some other improvement, we’ve got some news for you. From April 2025, planning application fees in the UK are set to rise significantly. This could affect the cost of your project, so it’s a good idea to act now if you want to avoid these higher fees.
What’s changing and how much will it cost?
Here’s a breakdown of the key fee increases that are coming your way:
Householder planning permission: If you’re looking to make changes to your own home (extensions, alterations, etc.), the fee will rise from £258 to £528 for a single dwellinghouse.
Prior Approvals for Larger Home Extensions: For larger home extensions that require prior approval, the fee will increase from £206 to £240. This applies to extensions that exceed certain size thresholds but don’t need full planning permission.
Prior Approvals (change of use): For applications that don’t involve building (like change of use or other non-structural changes), the fee goes from £120 to £240. Prior approval for changing Class E uses (commercial, business and service) to residential will increase from £125 per dwellinghouse to £250 per dwellinghouse.
What does this mean for you?
With construction costs already on the rise, adding higher planning fees into the mix could make things more expensive and even cause some homeowners to rethink their projects. We get it - fees are climbing, and things are getting more expensive. But there is something you can do about it: act quickly and contact our architectural design team below.
By getting your planning application in before the fee increases in April 2025, you could save yourself some serious cash.
Our take on the changes
At The Practical Planning Company, we work closely with homeowners like you to guide them through the planning process. We get why the planning fee increase is needed – local authorities are under pressure with the rising demand. But it's really important that the extra money is put to good use. We’re all for a system that works more smoothly, but the key is using the funds to speed up the process, recruit more planning professionals, and get applications moving faster.
If it's done right, these changes could actually help homeowners by easing the pressure on local authorities and getting approvals through quicker.
What should you do?
If you’ve got a project in mind, now’s the time to get your planning application submitted - so contact our team today. Don’t wait until after April 2025 when the fees go up. We’re here to help you every step of the way to get your application in before the rise. Our team is all about making the planning process as smooth and stress-free as possible - so you can get started on your home improvements without any hassle.
The bottom line
Planning application fees are going up, and that could make your home improvement project a little more expensive. But if you act before the increase, you can avoid those extra costs and keep your project on track. Give us a shout today, and let’s get your application submitted on time.
If you're in Derby, Nottingham, or Leicester, our team is here to make the planning permission process easier for you, helping ensure your project moves forward without unnecessary delays - and costs!
No matter what stage you’re at in your project, our team is here to help. If you’re based in the East Midlands and you’d like to book in with our Derbyshire team for a free, no obligation design consultation, hit the button below - and stay tuned for some more practical tips!
Our fixed fee packages include all the necessary plans and guidance for any and all planning applications (including lawful development certificates). Plus, we handle the submission and all communications for you. For an idea of prices for designing and planning a home extension, please use our online calculator.
If you’re not quite ready to get started, or you’re based elsewhere in the UK, please feel free to check out the rest of our Advice Centre - and connect with us on Instagram and Facebook for tips and inspiration.