How Much Does Planning Permission Cost in London? (2026 Guide)

The planning fee is a statutory charge set nationally by the government and paid to the local planning authority when you submit an application. For householder applications (extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, and similar works to existing dwellings), the fee is currently £258.

This fee applies whether you are in Hackney or Hillingdon, Wandsworth or Westminster — the amount is set nationally and does not vary between London boroughs.

Some categories of application are fee-exempt. Alterations required for a disabled person's needs are exempt. Applications for listed building consent are free (though you may need accompanying planning permission which carries a fee). Pre-application advice is not covered by the application fee — it is a separate paid service offered by most London boroughs.

The planning fee is a small proportion of the total cost of obtaining planning permission. The larger cost is typically the professional fees for preparing the planning drawings — the measured survey, the design, and the full drawing package required for a valid application.

Professional fees for planning drawings in London vary with the scale and complexity of the project. A single-storey rear extension in a straightforward suburban street might cost £1,200 to £2,000 for the planning drawing package. A conservation area application, a larger project, or a proposal involving a listed building curtilage will cost more.

Crown Architecture prepares full planning drawing packages — survey, design, location plan, block plan, existing and proposed floor plans and elevations, and any required supporting documents — on a fixed-fee basis, agreed before any work begins. We issue a detailed fee proposal after the free initial consultation.

Some planning applications in London require supporting documents in addition to the drawings. These carry additional professional fees.

A Design and Access Statement (DAS) is required for applications in conservation areas and for listed building consent. It explains the design rationale, the approach to materials, and how the proposal responds to the local character. Fees for a DAS typically range from £300 to £800 depending on the complexity of the heritage context.

A Heritage Statement or Heritage Impact Assessment may be required for applications affecting the setting of a listed building or conservation area in more sensitive contexts. These are more detailed than a standard DAS and are prepared by heritage consultants. Fees range from £500 to £3,000 depending on the sensitivity of the heritage asset.

An Acoustic Report or Daylight and Sunlight Assessment may be required by the planning authority for certain types of application — particularly applications that could affect neighbouring amenity or change the relationship between buildings. These are specialist reports prepared by acoustic engineers or daylight consultants and typically cost £500 to £1,500.

Pre-application advice is a paid service offered by most London planning authorities that allows you to get written feedback from a planning officer before a formal application is submitted. It is not a statutory requirement, but it is often worthwhile for larger, more complex, or conservation-sensitive applications.

Pre-application fees in London vary significantly by borough. Most householder pre-application enquiries cost £100 to £500 depending on the council and the level of service requested.

The value of pre-application advice is that it can identify issues before they become grounds for refusal, potentially saving the time and cost of a refused application and subsequent re-submission or appeal. We manage pre-application advice as part of our planning consultancy service for London clients.

Adding up the statutory fee, professional fees, and any supporting documents, the typical total cost of obtaining planning permission for a London householder project is:

Planning permission fees are separate from building regulation fees. Building regulation drawings and approval carry an additional professional fee and a statutory charge. For a typical single-storey extension, building regulation approval costs an additional £900 to £2,500 in combined professional and statutory fees.

The statutory building regulation charge is set by each local authority or approved inspector and varies by the estimated cost of works. It is separate from the planning fee and paid to the building control body, not the planning authority.

The most effective way to reduce the total cost of planning permission is to design a proposal that is likely to be approved first time. A well-prepared application that addresses officer concerns in advance avoids the cost of refusal, re-submission, or appeal.

Using permitted development where possible eliminates the planning fee and reduces the drawing package required — though a Lawful Development Certificate (£129 fee) is still advisable to confirm the position formally.

Combining planning permission with building regulation drawings in a single commission — from the same practice — reduces the total fees because the design does not have to be developed twice from separate starting points.