Charges for planning applications

These fees are taken from the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications and Deemed Applications) (Amendment) Regulations 2010, which came into force on 6 April 2010. The fees must be paid at the same time as the application is deposited.

An online fee calculator is available on the Planning Portal (opens in a new window)

A summary of fees for West Dorset District Council and East Dorset District Council can be downloaded on the right. If you have any queries on fees please contact your local council.

Please note; when calculating fees based on the floor space, this is the gross amount to be created by the development and should be an external measurement, including the thickness of external and internal walls.

Full list of charges for planning applications

Category of development fee payable:

A) Operations

1. The building of homes (other than development within category 6 below).

(a) Where the application is for outline planning permission and:

(i) The site area does not exceed 2.5 hectares - £335 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(ii) The site area exceeds 2.5 hectares - £8,285; and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £125,000

(b) In other cases:

(i) Where the number of homes to be created by the development is 50 or fewer - £335 for each home

(ii) Where the number of homes to be created by the development exceeds 50 - £16,565; and an additional £100 for each home in excess of 50 homes, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

2. The construction of buildings (other than buildings in categories 1,3,4,5 or 7).

(a) Where the application is for outline planning permission and:

(i) The site area does not exceed 2.5 hectares - £335 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(ii) The site area exceeds 2.5 hectares - £8,285; and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of  £125,000

(b) In other cases:

(i) Where no floor space is to be created by the development - £170

(ii) Where the area of gross floor space to be created by the development does not exceed 40 square metres - £170

(iii) Where the area of the gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 40 square metres, but does not exceed 75 square metres - £335

(iv) Where the area of the gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 75 square metres, but does not exceed 3,750 square metres - £335 for each 75 square metres (or part thereof) of that area

(v) Where the area of gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 3,750 square metres - £16,565; and an additional £100 for each 75 square metres (or part thereof) in excess of 3,750 square metres, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

3. The construction, on land used for the purposes of agriculture, of buildings to be used for agricultural purposes (other than buildings in category 4).

(a) Where the application is for outline planning permission and:

(i) The site area does not exceed 2.5 hectares - £335 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(ii) The site area exceeds 2.5 hectares - £8,285; and an additional £100 for each additional 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 2.5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £125,000

(b) In other cases:

(i) Where the area of gross floor space to be created by the development does not exceed 465 square metres - £70

(ii) Where the area of gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 465 square metres but does not exceed 540 square metres - £335

(iii) Where the area of the gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 540 square metres but does not exceed 4,215 square metres - £335 for the first 540 square metres, and an additional £335 for each 75 square metres (or part thereof) in excess of 540 square metres; and

(iv) Where the area of gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 4,215 square metres - £16,565; and an additional £100 for each 75 square metres (or part thereof) in excess of 4215 square metres, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

4. The building of glasshouses on land used for the purposes of agriculture.

(a) Where the gross floor space to be created by the development does not exceed 465 square metres - £70

(b) Where the gross floor space to be created by the development exceeds 465 square metres - £1,870

5. The building, alteration or replacement of plant or machinery.

(a) Where the site area does not exceed 5 hectares - £335 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(b) Where the site area exceeds 5 hectares - £16,565; and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

6. The enlargement, improvement or other alteration of existing homes.

(a) Where the application relates to one home - £150

(b) Where the application relates to two or more homes - £295

7 (a) The carrying out of operations (including the erection of a building) within the curtilage of an existing home, for purposes ancillary to the enjoyment of the home as such, or the building or construction of gates, fences, walls or other means of enclosure along a boundary of the curtilage of an existing home

£150

(b) The construction of car parks, service roads and other means of access on land used for the purposes of a single undertaking, where the development is required for a purpose incidental to the existing use of the land

£170

 8. The carrying out of any operations connected with exploratory drilling for oil or natural gas.

(a) Where the site area does not exceed 7.5 hectares - £335 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(b) Where the site area exceeds 7.5 hectares - £25,000, and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 7.5 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

 9. The carrying out of any operations not coming within any of the above categories.

(a) In the case of operations for the winning and working of minerals:

(i) Where the site area does not exceed 15 hectares - £170 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(ii) Where the site area exceeds 15 hectares - £25,315; and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 15 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £65,000

(b) In any other case - £170 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area, subject to a maximum of £1,690

B) Uses of land

10. The change of use of a building to use as one or more separate homes.

(a) Where the change of use is from a previous use as a single home to use as two or more single homes:

(i) Where the change of use is to use as 50 or fewer homes - £335 for each additional home

(ii) Where the change of use is to use as more than 50 homes - £16,565, and an additional £100 for each home in excess of 50 homes, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

(b) In all other cases:

(i) Where the change of use is to use as 50 or fewer homes - £335 for each home

(ii) Where the change of use is to use as more than 50 homes - £16,565, and an additional £100 for each home in excess of 50 homes, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

11(a) The use of land for the disposal of refuse or waste materials or for the deposit of material remaining after minerals have been extracted from land; or

(b) For use of land for the storage of minerals in the open.

(a) Where the site area does not exceed 15 hectares - £170 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) of the site area

(b) Where the site area exceeds 15 hectares - £25,315; and an additional £100 for each 0.1 hectare (or part thereof) in excess of 15 hectares, subject to a maximum in total of £65,000

12. The making of a material change in the use of a building or land (other than a material change of use coming within any of the above categories)

£335

C) Display of advertisements

13(a) Advertisements displayed on business premises, on the forecourt of business premises or on other land within the curtilage of business premises, wholly with reference to all or any of the following matters:

(i) The nature of the business or other activity carried on the premises

(ii) The goods sold or the services provided on the premises

(iii) The name and qualifications of the person carrying on such business or activity or supplying such goods or services

£95

(b) Advertisements for the purpose of directing members of the public to, or otherwise drawing attention to the existence of, business premises which are in the same locality as the site on which the advertisement is to be displayed but which are not visible from that site

£95

(c) All other advertisements

£335

D) Other

Deemed applications

14. For a 'deemed' planning application arising in the context of an appeal against an enforcement notice.

Double the fee payable for a corresponding planning application made at the time the enforcement notice was issued.

Lawful development certificates

15(a) An application (under section 191(1)(a) or (b)) for a certificate to establish the lawfulness of an existing land-use, or of development already carried out (other than in respect of homes).

The same as for a planning application for a new permission for that use or operation.

(b) An application (under section 191(1)(a)) for a certificate to establish the lawfulness of an existing land-use for one or more separate homes.

Where the use is for 50 or fewer homes - £335 for each home

Where the use is for more than 50 homes - £16,565; and an additional £100 for each home in excess of 50, subject to a maximum in total of £250,000

(c) An application (under section 191(1)(c)) for a certificate to establish that it was lawful not to comply with a particular condition or other limitation imposed on a planning permission

£170

(d) An application (under section 192) application for a certificate to state that some future development would be lawful

50% of what would be payable for a planning application for the same development.

Monitoring landfill and minerals permissions

16. Per site visit by the local planning authority to monitor landfill or mineral permission.

(a) Where site is active, or partly active

£288

(b) Where the site is wholly inactive

£96

Prior approval

17. Under Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.

(a) Application for prior approval under Part 6 (Agricultural buildings & operations), Part 7 (Forestry buildings & operations) or Part 31 (Demolition of buildings)

£70

(b) Application for prior approval under Part 24 (Development by Electronic Communications Code Operators) of the Permitted Development Order, for installation of a radio mast, radio equipment, housing or public callbox

£335

Requests for written confirmation of compliance with planning conditions

18. Request for written confirmation by a local planning authority that one or more planning conditions have been complied with (excluding conditions on minerals or waste permissions).

£85 per request, or £25 where the request relates to a permission for works to an existing home or within the curtilage of such (as specified in Fee Categories 6 or 7(a))

Reserved matters

19. Where outline permission has been granted, for an application for approval of up to five reserved matters.

The same amount as for an application for full permission for the type and scale of development proposed in the outline application, regardless of how many reserved matters are being submitted at the same time for approval.

Once that amount has been paid, any further application(s) for approval of one or more reserved matters would be charged at the flat rate of £335.

Variation of permission

20. Application to vary or remove one or more conditions imposed on an existing planning permission

Flat-rate of £170 per application

Applications for Non-Material Amendments (previously titled Minor Amendments)

· For Householder Applications* the fee is £25
· In all other cases the fee is £170

Applications for a new planning permission to replace an existing planning permission, in order to extend the time limit for implementation

· For Householder Applications* the fee is £50
· For Major* developments the fee is £500
· In all other cases the fee is £170

*Please note that the term "Householder Application" refers to the statutory class (Q21) that the application fell into when it was originally registered. The term "Major" refers to applications registered in statutory classes (Q1-Q12). Please contact us if you need clarification over these classes