Planning Application Fees Set to Rise in April 2025: What It Means for Your Projects

As we move closer to April 2025, it’s crucial to be aware of some significant changes that could impact your development plans – particularly if you’re in the midst of submitting a planning application.

Starting on April 1st, 2025, planning application fees across England are set to rise by as much as 35%, affecting a wide variety of applications. This increase will apply to applications for residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments, as well as for minor alterations and changes of use. So, whether you’re working on a new housing project or planning a small extension, the fees are going up, and it’s essential to take action now if you want to avoid the hike.

Why the Fee Increase?

The government’s decision to increase fees comes in response to ongoing pressure to make the planning system more sustainable and to support local planning authorities in managing the growing volume of applications. The idea is to help alleviate the strain on resources and speed up the decision-making process, ensuring more efficient and effective service delivery across the country.

By raising these fees, the government hopes to generate additional revenue that will be used to fund planning departments, reduce application backlogs, and enhance overall planning services. While this is great for local authorities and the overall system, it means higher costs for developers, builders, and property owners submitting applications.

What’s Changing?

The new fee structure will vary depending on the type and scale of the planning application. Some of the key changes to note:

Minor residential and householder applications: These will experience a significant increase, making it a good idea to submit any applications for small-scale projects before April to save on costs.
Larger developments and commercial projects: Fees will rise in line with the overall fee increase but will likely have a proportionately higher cost for more complex applications.
Specialist applications: Applications for listed buildings, heritage sites, and certain environmental impacts will also be subject to higher fees.

How Does This Affect Your Project?

If you’ve got a planning application ready to go or are in the early stages of your project, now is the time to act. Submitting before April 1st, 2025 will allow you to take advantage of the current, lower fees.

At Singh Fudge Architects, we understand that planning and development can be complex and costly, and we’re here to help you navigate these changes. Our team of experts can guide you through the planning process, ensuring that your application is ready to go and, ideally, submitted before the fee increase takes effect.

Whether you’re working on a small residential extension or a large-scale development, we’ll help you get the most out of your budget and avoid unnecessary costs. If you want to discuss how we can support your planning application and make sure it’s submitted ahead of the April 2025 fee rise, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.