Category:
Insights
Published On:
1 Feb 2026
Planda Portal Team
Understanding Fee Calculations
Planning application fees in England are determined by The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). The fee structure varies significantly based on your application type, the nature of your development, and specific project details.
The challenge? When applications cover multiple categories of development, the total fee may not simply be all the category totals added together. The regulations define specific combination rules that must be applied correctly.
Planda Portal's solution: We automatically calculate the correct fee based on the information you've already provided in your application form. Fee details are pulled directly from your application, so you don't need to re-enter data or use separate calculators. We verify that the planning fee is correct for your application type, and you can even offer your client the option to pay directly at no extra cost (Planning Portal charges £20 for this service).
Full Planning Applications
Full planning applications include project types; sub-categories that determine how much the application will cost. Some project types can be selected together, while others follow specific rules. The fee calculation typically depends on:
Number of dwellings
Gross external area of the development
Site area of the development
Dwelling Alterations and Extensions
Enlargement, improvement, or alteration of one existing dwellinghouse or flat
Fee: £528 (flat fee)
Enlargement, improvement, or alteration of two or more existing dwellinghouses or flats
Fee: £1,043 (flat fee)
Operations within the boundary of an existing dwellinghouse; This includes the erection of a building for purposes ancillary to the dwelling's enjoyment, or the erection or construction of gates, fences, walls, or other means of enclosure along its boundary.
Fee: £262 (flat fee)
Erection of Dwellinghouses
Number of dwellinghouses | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Fewer than 10 dwellinghouses | £588 for each dwellinghouse |
Between 10 and 50 dwellinghouses | £635 for each dwellinghouse |
More than 50 dwellinghouses | £31,385 + £189 for each additional dwellinghouse in excess of 50 |
Erection of Buildings (Not Dwellinghouses, Agricultural, Glasshouses, Plant, or Machinery)
Gross floor space created | Fee structure |
|---|---|
No increase or no more than 40 m² | £298 (flat fee where additional floor space ≤ 40 m²) |
More than 40 m² but less than 1,000 m² | £588 for each 75 m² (or part thereof) |
Between 1,000 m² and 3,750 m² | £635 for each 75 m² (or part thereof) |
More than 3,750 m² | £31,385 + £189 for each additional 75 m² (or part thereof) in excess of 3,750 m² |
Erection of Buildings on Land Used for Agricultural Purposes
Gross external area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Not more than 465 m² | £122 (flat fee) |
More than 465 m² but not more than 540 m² | £588 (flat fee) |
More than 540 m² but less than 1,000 m² | £588 for first 540 m² + £588 for each additional 75 m² (or part thereof) in excess of 540 m² |
Between 1,000 m² and 4,215 m² | £5,077 for first 1,000 m² + £635 for each additional 75 m² (or part thereof) in excess of 1,000 m² |
More than 4,215 m² | £31,385 + £189 for each additional 75 m² (or part thereof) in excess of 4,215 m² |
Erection of Glasshouses on Agricultural Land
Gross floor space created | Fee |
|---|---|
Not more than 465 m² | £122 (flat fee) |
More than 465 m² but less than 1,000 m² | £3,280 (flat fee) |
1,000 m² or more | £3,542 (flat fee) |
Erection, Alterations, or Replacement of Plant and Machinery
Site Area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Less than 1 hectare | £588 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
Between 1 hectare and 5 hectares | £635 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 5 hectares | £31,385 + £189 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 5 hectares |
Construction of Car Parks, Service Roads, and Other Means of Access
For existing uses:
Fee: £298 (flat fee)
Operations Connected with Exploratory Drilling for Oil or Natural Gas
Site area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Not more than 7.5 hectares | £698 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 7.5 hectares | £52,269 + £207 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 7.5 hectares |
Operations (Other Than Exploratory Drilling) for the Winning and Working of Oil or Natural Gas
Site area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Not more than 15 hectares | £353 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 15 hectares | £52,886 + £207 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 15 hectares |
Other Operations (Winning and Working of Minerals) Excluding Oil and Natural Gas
Site area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Not more than 15 hectares | £321 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 15 hectares | £47,963 + £189 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 15 hectares |
Other Operations (Not Coming Within Any of the Above Categories)
Site area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Any site area | £298 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
Change of Use of a Building to Use as One or More Separate Dwellinghouses
Important note: If the change is from existing dwellings, use the additional number of dwellinghouses created for fee calculation purposes.
Number of dwellinghouses | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Fewer than 10 dwellinghouses | £588 for each dwellinghouse |
Between 10 and 50 dwellinghouses | £635 for each dwellinghouse |
More than 50 dwellinghouses | £31,385 + £189 for each additional dwellinghouse in excess of 50 |
Change of Use from Single Dwellinghouse to Two or More Single Dwellinghouses
Important note: If the change is from existing dwellings, use the additional number of dwellinghouses created for fee calculation purposes.
Number of dwellinghouses | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Fewer than 10 dwellinghouses | £588 for each dwellinghouse |
Between 10 and 50 dwellinghouses | £635 for each dwellinghouse |
More than 50 dwellinghouses | £31,385 + £189 for each additional dwellinghouse in excess of 50 |
Waste (Use of Land for Disposal or Storage of Minerals in the Open)
Site area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Not more than 15 hectares | £321 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 15 hectares | £47,963 + £189 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 15 hectares |
Other Changes of Use of a Building or Land
Fee: £588
Householder Applications
For householder applications, users can select both project types below. If both are selected, only the highest fee will be considered.
Project Type | Fee |
|---|---|
The enlargement, improvement, or other alteration of a dwellinghouse (not including flats) | £528 (flat fee) |
The erection or construction of gates, fences, walls, or other means of enclosure; or works for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse | £262 (flat fee) |
Outline Planning Applications
Outline applications apply to:
Outline application: All matters reserved
Outline application: Some matters reserved
Users can select one option from these project types:
Erection of Dwellinghouses
Erection of Buildings (not dwellinghouses); within a single category of development
Mixed Use Development (within more than one category of development)
Erection of Dwellinghouses (Outline)
Site Area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Less than 0.5 hectares | £588 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
Between 0.5 hectares and 2.5 hectares | £635 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 2.5 hectares | £15,695 + £189 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares |
Erection of Buildings (Not Dwellinghouses) – Within a Single Category of Development (Outline)
Site Area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Less than 1 hectare | £588 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
Between 1 hectare and 2.5 hectares | £635 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 2.5 hectares | £15,695 + £189 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares Maximum fee: £205,943 |
Mixed Use Development (Within More Than One Category of Development) (Outline)
Site Area | Fee structure |
|---|---|
Less than 0.5 hectares | £578 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
Between 0.5 hectares and 2.5 hectares | £624 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) |
More than 2.5 hectares | £15,433 + £186 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares |
Discharge of Conditions
Approval of details and/or confirmation that one or more conditions have been complied with following grant of planning permission.
Project type | Fee |
|---|---|
Householder development | £86 |
Any other development (including conditions relating to the submission of a Biodiversity Gain Plan) | £298 |
Listed building consent | £0 |
Multiple Development Calculation Rules
This is critical to understand: When an application includes more than one development type, the total is not just all fees added together. The fee regulations define specific combination rules, and Planda Portal applies these automatically, which is why the displayed category totals may not match the final fee.
Rule 1: Erection of Dwellings and More Than One Erection of Buildings ONLY
When your application includes the erection of new dwellinghouses AND more than one type of building erection:
Total fee = Fee for new dwellinghouses + Highest fee from all the erection of buildings
Rule 2: New Dwellinghouses + More Than One Erection of Buildings + More Than One Other Developments
When your application is more complex and includes dwellings, buildings, AND other development types:
Choose the highest fee from:
Option A: The sum of new dwellings fee + highest erection of buildings fee
OR
Option B: The highest fee from all other developments
Total fee = max(A, B)
Rule 3: Mixed Development Without Any NEW Dwellinghouse Developments
When your application covers multiple development types but does NOT include the erection of new dwellings:
Total fee = Highest fee from any developments (excluding erection of dwellings)
Exemptions and Reductions
These fall under Concessions. Not all concessions are valid for all application types. Upon receipt of an application, the local authority will check that the fee is correct and whether the concession is applicable.
Reductions to Payments
Reduction Type | Reduction Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Non-profit making sports club for works for playing fields not involving buildings | Fee capped at £588 | This reduction is only for "operational development" planning applications. |
Parish or community council | 50% reduction | This is a public-body concession, not a development-type exemption. |
Alternative proposal on the same site by the same applicant on the same day (lower fee application) | 50% reduction | If you submit an alternative design proposal for the same site on the same day, you'll receive a 50% discount on whichever application has the lower fee |
Two or more applications for different proposals on the same day relating to the same site | Highest fee + 50% of the sum of the others | This is the Multiple Applications Discount, where you pay the full fee for the highest-priced application and receive a 50% discount on all others. |
Exemptions from Payments
Exemption Type | Official Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Home modifications for disabled access or safety | Alteration or extension of an existing dwellinghouse; or works in the curtilage of an existing dwellinghouse (other than the erection of a dwellinghouse) for the purpose of providing means of access for a disabled resident, or facilities designed to secure that person's greater safety, health, or comfort. | This removes the planning fee entirely. |
Disabled access works to public buildings | Carrying out of operations for the purpose of providing a means of access for disabled persons to or within a building or premises to which members of the public are admitted. | Completely fee-free if genuinely for public disability access. |
Use change within same Use Class (condition-triggered only) | Alternate use of buildings or land within the same Use Class that requires planning permission only by the requirements of a condition imposed on a permission granted or deemed to be granted under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). | Fee is waived because the use itself is not changing in law. |
Lawful development certificate (where planning permission would be fee-exempt) | Lawful development certificate for existing use, where an application for planning permission for the same development would be exempt from the need to pay a planning fee under any other planning fee regulation. | Only mirrors other exemptions - it does not create new ones. |
Advertisement consent (Regulation 7 direction cases) | Consent to display an advertisement which results from a direction under Regulation 7 of the 2007 Regulations, dis-applying deemed consent under Regulation 6 to the advertisement in question. | Fee = £0 because consent is being forced by the authority. |
Listed Building Consent conditions | Condition or conditions on an application for Listed Building Consent. | Listed Building Consent applications don't require a fee, and this includes applications to discharge conditions on Listed Building Consent |
Prior approval (with concurrent paid planning application) | Prior approval application (for larger home extensions, additional storeys on a home, or change of uses) where an application for planning permission (for which a fee is payable) is being made by the same applicant on the same date for the same site, buildings, or land. | The Prior Approval becomes FREE, you still pay for the full planning application. |
Why Planda Portal Makes This Easier
As you can see, planning fee calculations involve multiple variables, tiered pricing structures, and special combination rules for mixed developments. Getting it wrong can delay your application or result in unexpected costs.
Planda Portal eliminates this complexity:
Automatic calculation: The correct fee is calculated based on your application type and the details you've provided
No re-entry needed: Fee details are pulled directly from your application information, so you don't need to re-type or calculate fees yourself
Verified accuracy: We check that the planning fee is correct for your application type
Client payment option: You can offer your client the option to pay directly at no extra cost (Planning Portal charges £20 for this service)
Complex scenarios handled: Multiple development rules, exemptions, and reductions are all applied automatically
With Planda Portal, you can be confident that your fee calculation is accurate from the start, saving time and avoiding delays in the planning process.
Note: Fee information is current as of January 2026 and is based on The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). Always verify fees with your local planning authority, as concessions and exemptions are subject to authority approval.
