Planning circular 1/2026: planning fees for applications, local reviews and appeals

Categories of fees

The general provisions for fees and the scale of fees are set out in full in Schedule 1 of the Application Fees Regulations.

B.18 Residential development (category 1)

Full applications for the erection of dwellinghouses are charged according to the number of dwellinghouses which are to be created. The rate is:

• £742 per dwellinghouse for each of the first 10 dwelling houses;
• for dwellinghouses between 11-49 the rate is £557 per dwellinghouse; and
• £310 per dwellinghouse for those in excess of 49 to a maximum of £185,524.

B.19 Householder extension and alterations (categories 2 & 3)

A flat rate fee of £371 is charged for applications to enlarge, improve, or alter an existing dwellinghouse, or to carry out works within its curtilage which are ancillary to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse. This fee also applies to walls, fences or other enclosures along the boundary of the curtilage. Where an application relates to one or more existing dwellinghouses, the rate is £371 per dwellinghouse subject to a maximum of £742.

B.20 Non-residential building works (category 4)

Applications for full permission for buildings (other than dwellinghouses, agricultural buildings or glasshouses and polytunnels) are charged as follows:

• Applications for development creating no new floor space, or not more than 50 sqm of new floor space, are charged a fee of £371.
• Where the gross floorspace exceeds 50 sqm but does not exceed 100 sqm the fee is £742.
• Where the gross floorspace exceeds 100 sqm it is £742 plus £742 per 100 sqm up to 4000 sqm.
• Where the gross floor space exceeds 4000 sqm the fee is £29,680 plus £369 per 100 sqm up to the maximum of £185,524.
• Where no buildings are to be created the fee is £742 per 0.1ha up to a maximum fee of £185,524.

B.21 Agricultural buildings (category 5)

Applications for agricultural buildings are charged at the rate of £618 for the first 500 sqm and then £618 for each 100 sqm or part thereof beyond 500 sqm, subject to maximum of £30,921.

B.22 Glasshouses and polytunnels (category 6)

Glasshouses and polytunnels are defined as a building which has not less than three-quarters of its total external area comprised of glass or other translucent material, is designed for the production of flowers, fruit, vegetables, herb or other horticultural produce, and is used, or is to be used, solely for the purposes of agriculture.

Applications for the erection of glasshouses or polytunnels which are to be used for agricultural purposes are to be charged at £124 for each 100 sqm of ground area to be covered by the development subject to a maximum of £6,184.

B.23 Wind turbines (category 7)

This category applies to applications for the erection of wind turbines and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines.

• Where the number of turbines does not exceed 3 and their height (ground to hub height) does not exceed 15 metres the fee is £1,546.
• Where one or more of the turbines has a ground to hub height in excess of 15 metres but not 50 metres the fee is £3,092.
• Where one or more to the turbines has a ground to hub height in excess of 50 metres the fee is £6,184.
• Where the number of turbines exceeds 3, the fee is £618 per 0.1ha of the site area up to a maximum of £185,524.

B.24 Hydro-electric generating stations (category 8)

This category applies to applications for the erection of hydro-electric generating stations and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines. The fee is £618 for each 0.1ha of the site area subject to a maximum of £30,921.

B.25 Solar electric generating stations (category 9)

This category applies to applications for the erection of solar electric generating stations and the carrying out of other operations in connection with the construction of the generating station, including the construction or installation of any means of access to the generating station, pipes or other conduits, and overhead lines. The fee is £618 for each 0.1ha of the site area subject to a maximum of £30,921.

B.26 Exploratory drilling for oil or natural gas (category 10)

Applications in respect of onshore oil or natural gas exploration are charged according to the area of the site at a rate of £1,236 where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha. Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,236 for the first 0.1ha and then £618 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to a maximum of £185,524. For the purposes of calculation of fees for planning applications "exploratory drilling" should be taken to include "appraisal drilling".

B.27 Fish farming (category 11)

Applications for development involving the placing or assembly of equipment in any part of marine waters for the purposes of fish farming are charged a fee based on the surface area of the water and the area of seabed affected. The fee is calculated as £247 for each 0.1ha of the surface area of marine waters to be used in relation to the assembly or placement of any equipment to be used for the purposes of fish farming and £92 for each 0.1 hectare of the seabed to be used in relation to such development up to a maximum of £30,921.

B.28 Shellfish farming (category 12)

Applications for development involving the placing or assembly of equipment in any part of marine waters for the purposes of shellfish farming are charged a fee based on the surface area of the water affected. The fee is calculated as £134 for each 0.1ha of the surface area of marine waters to be used in relation to the assembly or placement of any equipment to be used for the purposes of shellfish farming up to a maximum of £30,921.

B.29 Plant and machinery (category 13)

Applications for the erection, alteration or replacement of plant or machinery are charged according to the area of the site at a rate of £618 per 0.1 hectare or part thereof, for sites under 5ha. For sites over 5ha the fee is £30,900 plus £310 for each 0.1 ha of the site area in excess of 5ha up to a maximum of £185,524.

B.30 Access, car parks etc. for existing uses (category 14)

Applications for the construction of service roads, other accesses, or car parks serving an existing use on a site are subject to a flat rate fee of £618.

B.31 Winning and working of minerals (category 15)

Applications for the winning and working of minerals (other than peat) are charged according to the site area.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,236.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,236 for the first 0.1ha and then £618 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £93,318 plus £310 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £185,524.

The area will be the area to which the application relates and in the case of underground workings will include all the land under which any of the workings are to take place (development of oil and natural gas reserves is not regarded as "underground working"). The area should include the total area where development is to take place, including areas for landscaping.

B.32 Peat extraction (category 16)

Applications for the winning and working of peat are charged at the rate of £618 for each 0.1ha of the site area, subject to a maximum of £7,421.

B.33 Any other operations not coming within the categories above (category 17)

Applications for operations for any other purpose are charged according to the site area.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,236.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,236 for the first 0.1ha and then £618 per 1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £10,506 plus £310 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £185,524.

B.34 Waste disposal and minerals stocking (categories 18 & 19)

Applications for the disposal of waste, whether this involves operations or simply a change in the use of land, and for the stocking of minerals and other material extracted from the ground as part of the process of minerals extraction, are charged according to the area of the site.

• Where the site area does not exceed 0.1ha the fee is £1,236.
• Where the site area exceeds 0.1ha the fee is £1,236 for the first 0.1ha and then £618 per 0.1ha of the site area in excess of 0.1ha up to 15ha.
• Where the site area exceeds 15 ha the fee is £93,318 plus £310 per 0.1ha of site area in excess of 15ha up to a maximum of £185,524.

The site area should include any areas for landscaping.

B.35 Residential conversions (category 20)

Applications for the change of use of any building to use as one or more separate dwellinghouses are charged at a rate of:

• £742 per dwellinghouse for each of the first 10 dwellinghouses;
• for dwellinghouses between 11-49 the rate is £557 per dwellinghouse; and
• £310 per dwellinghouse for those 50 and above subject to a maximum of £185,524.

B.36 Change of use of buildings (category 21)

• Applications for the change of use of buildings (other than the conversion to, or subdivision of, dwellinghouses, the tipping of waste or the stocking of minerals and spoil) are charged as follows:
• Applications for the change of use of a building (except a change of use to use as one or more dwellinghouses) are to be charged based on the floor space on the building in question:
• for buildings with a floorspace which does not exceed 100 square metres the fee is £742;
• where the gross floorspace exceeds 100 sqm, it is £742 per 100 square metres up to 4,000 sqm; and
• where the floorspace exceeds 4,000 sqm the fee is £29,680 plus £371 per 100 square metres in excess of 4,000 sqm up to the maximum of £185,524.

B.37 Change of use of land (category 22)

Applications for the change of use of land (expect for a change of use involving categories 18, 19, 21 or a change of use relating to equipment placed in marine waters for the purposes of fish or shellfish farming) are to be charged on the site area involved at a rate of £618 per 0.1 hectare subject to a maximum of £6,184.

B.38 Advertisements

All applications for express consent for the display of advertisements are subject to a flat rate fee of £371 Where the application relates to a number of individual advertisements to be displayed on a single site, a single fee will be charged for the site as a whole. But when a single application deals with advertisements to be displayed on more than one site, a fee will be payable for each site included in the application.

The only exception is for an application to display advertisements on parking meters, litter bins, public seating benches or bus shelters within a specified area. Regulation 3(5) of the Application Fees Regulations provides that the whole of the specified area is to be regarded as one site for the purpose of calculating the fee.

B.39 Prior Notification/Approval

Where an application for a determination as to whether the planning authority's prior approval is required in relation to development permitted under Schedule I to the GPDO the fee is £215, apart from where an application is made under:

• Paragraph 4A of class 18 Part 6 - Agricultural buildings and operations (Formation or alteration of a Private Way) – no fee
• Paragraph 4 of Class 18B Part 6 – Agricultural Buildings and Operations (Conversion of an agricultural building to residential use) - £644
• Paragraph 5 of Class 18C Part 6 - Agricultural Buildings and Operations (Conversion of an agricultural building to flexible commercial use) - £644
• Paragraph 4 of Class 21A Part 6A – Fish Farming - £805
• Paragraph 4 of Class 22A Part 7 – Forestry Buildings and Operations (Conversion of a forestry building to residential use) - £644
• Paragraph 4 of Class 22B Part 7 – Forestry Buildings and Operations (Conversion of a forestry building to flexible commercial use) - £644
• Paragraph 4 of Class 22 Part 7 – Forestry Buildings and Operations – no fee
• Sub Paragraph 23 of Class 67 of Part 20 – Development by Electronic Communications Code Operators - £805

B.40 Certificates of lawful use or development

Certificates of lawful use or development provide a mechanism for establishing the planning status of land, i.e. whether an existing or proposed use or development is lawful for planning purposes. Anyone (not just a person with an interest in the land) can apply to a planning authority for a decision on whether a specified existing or proposed use, operational development, or failure to comply with a planning condition or limitation, which has already been carried out on land, is lawful for planning purposes. Each application lodged with a planning authority must be accompanied by the appropriate fee as prescribed in the regulations. There are certain exceptions, exemptions and maximum charges prescribed in the regulations, but fees are payable in respect of applications regardless of the fact that the subject matter of the application may prove to be lawful for any reason.

B.41 Certificates of lawfulness of existing use or development

An application to ascertain whether any existing use of buildings or other land is lawful and/or if any operations which have been carried out in, on or over land are lawful the fee is the amount that would be payable in respect of an application for planning permission to institute the use or carry out the operations specified in the application (or an application to do both, as the case may be).

An application for any other matter constituting a failure to comply with any condition or limitation subject to which planning permission has been granted is lawful the fee is £371.

B.42 Certificates of lawfulness for proposed use or development

An application to ascertain whether any proposed use of buildings or other land is lawful or if any operations which are proposed to be carried out in, on or over land would be lawful the fee is half the amount that would be payable in respect of an application for planning permission to institute the use or carry out the operations specified in the application (or an application to do both, as the case may be).

Where the proposed use specified is use as one or more separate dwellinghouses the fee is £742 for each dwellinghouse, subject to a maximum of £185,524.