The Complete Guide to Planning Costs in London

Introduction

Planning permission is a necessary stage for most significant residential development in London, and understanding the costs involved — both the direct fees payable to the local planning authority and the professional fees for consultants supporting the application — allows homeowners to budget accurately for the planning stage. This guide covers all the cost components of the planning process for residential projects in London.

Planning Application Fees

Planning application fees are set by the government and are uniform across England. From 6 December 2023, fees for householder applications increased by 25%:

• Householder application (extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings to an existing house): £258
• Prior approval (Class A permitted development — neighbour consultation scheme): £258
• Lawful Development Certificate (proposed use): Half the fee of the equivalent full planning application — for a householder LDC: £129
• Listed Building Consent (external works): No fee payable
• Conservation Area Consent (demolition): No fee payable
• Full planning application (change of use, multiple units): £578 for creation of one dwelling; £1,130 for 2–50 dwellings (plus £577 per additional dwelling)
• Advertisement consent: £605

These fees do not include the professional time required to prepare the application.

Pre-Application Advice

Most London boroughs offer a pre-application advice service allowing homeowners and their architects to discuss a proposed project with planning officers before submitting a formal application. Fees vary by borough and by the scale of the project:

• Camden: From £630+VAT for a householder-scale pre-application meeting
• Islington: From £1,080+VAT for a pre-application planning service for householder works
• Barnet: From £480+VAT for a pre-application advice letter for householder works
• Haringey: From £576+VAT for a householder pre-application meeting

Pre-application advice typically takes 4–10 weeks to process and receive written advice. The cost is justified by reducing the risk of refusal — an officer who has indicated support for a scheme in pre-application is unlikely to recommend refusal, and where concerns are raised, they can be addressed before the formal application is submitted. For conservation area projects and listed building applications, pre-application advice from the conservation officer is strongly recommended.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

Community Infrastructure Levy is a charge payable on additional floor area created by development. Each London borough sets its own CIL rate schedule, with higher rates in wealthier areas:

• Camden: £350/sqm in Zone A (central), £100/sqm in Zone B
• Islington: £261/sqm
• Barnet: £95/sqm
• Haringey: £75/sqm

In addition to the borough CIL, the Mayoral CIL 2 of £60/sqm applies to all schemes creating new residential floor area. Extensions to existing homes may qualify for a self-build exemption or a residential annex exemption from borough CIL — see our dedicated CIL self-build exemption guide. CIL does not apply to permitted development works.

Section 106 Obligations

Section 106 planning obligations are negotiated between the developer and the local planning authority as conditions of planning permission. They typically apply to schemes of 10 or more dwellings (affordable housing contribution) and are rarely relevant to single-house residential extensions. For a replacement dwelling or a larger development involving multiple units, s106 negotiation may be required and a planning solicitor's fees should be budgeted.

Planning Consultant Fees

For straightforward householder applications, the architect typically prepares and submits the planning application as part of their normal service. For more complex applications — particularly in conservation areas, for listed buildings, or where a planning refusal has occurred — a specialist planning consultant may be required in addition to the architect:

• Planning consultant for conservation area or listed building application: typically £2,000–£6,000
• Planning consultant for a major application or appeal: £5,000–£20,000+
• Design and Access Statement preparation (where required): typically included in architect's fee or £1,000–£2,500
• Heritage Statement (listed building or conservation area): £1,500–£5,000

Planning Appeal Costs

Where a planning application is refused and an appeal is pursued, additional costs are incurred:

• Planning appeal fee: no fee payable to the Planning Inspectorate for a householder appeal
• Professional costs for written representations appeal: £2,000–£5,000 in architect/planning consultant fees
• Professional costs for a hearing: £5,000–£15,000
• Cost awards: the Planning Inspectorate may award costs against either party where unreasonable behaviour is demonstrated — typically only in cases of LPA procedural failure

Total Planning Budget for a Typical North London Extension

Conclusion

Planning costs in London range from modest (a simple householder application in a non-conservation area with low CIL) to significant (a conservation area scheme with specialist consultants, heritage assessment, and high CIL liability). Budgeting for all planning-related costs from the outset — not just the application fee — ensures that the total project budget is realistic. An architect with experience in north London planning will identify the likely planning costs for a specific project at the feasibility stage and advise on strategies to optimise the planning outcome, including the use of pre-application advice and the potential for CIL exemptions.