Do I need
planning permission?
We can tell you in 23 seconds.
Pay only on approval. From £995 per application.
About the planning data
Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England.
What is included at each stage
Planning stage £995, paid only when you are approved. Building regs stage £885, paid only if you go on to build. Council and Portal fees are paid separately at submission. Refused? No design fee to pay.
- Planning stage £995
Design drawings for your planning or permitted development application, the application prepared and submitted for you, and every council query and amendment handled through to decision. Paid only when the council approves.
- Building regs stage £885
A measured survey of your property, building regulations drawings, structural engineer calculations, and party wall notices for your neighbours where they are needed. Paid only if you go on to build.
- Council and Portal fees
Paid separately at submission, direct to the council. So are building control inspection fees when you build.
What the council charges
These are the council's own fees, not ours. You pay them direct at submission, on top of the drawing stages above.
- Householder application
- £548
- Lawful Development Certificate
- £274
- Planning Portal service charge
- £91
The same fees apply at every council in England; they are set nationally. Pre-application advice is priced by each council. April 2026 rates; we confirm the figure with your council before you submit.
What happens if you are refused
Your planning design fee
£0
if your application is refused.
You keep your drawings
We explain the officer’s reasons and whether changing the scheme could address them, or whether it cannot be taken forward.
Council and Portal charges are separate
These are paid at submission. The council’s application fee is not refundable.
Read the pay-on-approval termsApproval rates near you
See how councils have decided applications in our archive. These historical rates describe past projects, not the chance of approval for your own design.
| Council | Approved | Decided since 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| England, single storey rear | 84% | 98,277 |
| England, loft and dormer | 79% | 21,332 |
| Southwark | 93% | 5,310 |
| Wandsworth | 91% | 9,074 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 94% | 4,800 |
| Camden | 92% | 4,583 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 91% | 7,813 |
Recent projects
33 projects live, 46 approved-
Loft conversion
In progressRear dormer with en-suite, Walthamstow, E17
Build cost£58,000 -
Rear extension
Contract sent4m single storey with roof lantern, Tooting, SW17
Build cost£54,000 -
Side return extension
In progress2.1m x 6.5m with skylights, Leyton, E10
Build cost£46,000 -
Two storey extension
SubmittedRear 3m over two floors, Croydon, CR2
Build cost£96,000 -
Loft conversion
Under reviewHip-to-gable with rear dormer, Ealing, W7
Build cost£74,000 -
Rear extension
Submitted6m prior approval with bi-folds, Enfield, EN2
Build cost£66,000 -
Loft conversion
On siteL-shaped dormer, two bedrooms, Catford, SE6
Build cost£68,000 -
Change of use
Under reviewShop to flat (Class MA), Walworth, SE17
Build cost£85,000 -
Outbuilding
On siteGarden office 5m x 3m, Twickenham, TW2
Build cost£22,000
Homeowner projects: planning stage £995, paid only when you are approved. Drawings, application and submission included.
Where we work
We are based in London and take on projects across the UK. The free check covers addresses in England. Our approval-rate archive contains 2,343,419 decision records across 181 councils. Find your council.
From the guides
- Does a rear extension need planning permission?Understand permitted development, larger home extension prior approval and planning applications in England, then check your address and local decisions.
- Permitted development rights: what can you build?Understand permitted development in England: extensions, loft conversions, garden rooms, certificates and when you need planning permission.
- Outbuilding permitted development: garden rooms and shedsCheck permitted development for a garden room, office, shed or garage in England, including height, boundary distance and separate accommodation.
Questions people ask
Do I need planning permission for my extension?
It depends on your property type, where it is and how big the extension is. Most single storey rear extensions up to 3m on a terrace or semi, or 4m on a detached house, fall under permitted development and need no planning application. Conservation areas, Article 4 directions, listed buildings and flats have stricter rules. The free check reads the rules for your address in 23 seconds.
Is the check really free?
Yes. No account, no card. You enter your address and a WhatsApp number, and the result is on screen straight away with a summary sent to that number the same day. You pay only if you go on to instruct drawings, and the planning stage is paid only when you are approved.
How much do planning drawings cost?
Planning stage £995, paid only when you are approved. Building regs stage £885, paid only if you go on to build. Refused? No design fee to pay. Council and Portal fees are paid separately at submission.
What does paid on approval mean?
The £995 planning stage falls due when the council grants planning permission, prior approval or a lawful development certificate for the submitted scheme, with or without conditions. If the council refuses, there is no design fee to pay. The full definition is on the terms page.
Where does the approval rate come from?
Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England. The rate is by project type in your council and near your address. Where a council has decided too few applications of your type for a fair rate, the check says so instead of showing a number.
How long does planning permission take?
A full planning application takes 8 weeks from validation, the statutory target. Prior approval takes 6 weeks. Permitted development needs no application if you are eligible. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for the drawings before submission.
What is the difference between permitted development and planning permission?
Permitted development is a set of national rules that let you extend without a planning application, as long as you stay within set size and design limits. Planning permission is a full application to the council, needed when you go beyond those limits or your property has an Article 4 direction. Permitted development is faster and cheaper but more limited.
Do you work outside London?
We are based in London and take on drawing work across the UK. The free check itself covers every address in England, because that is where the permitted development rules it reads apply. The planning stage is prepared from planning records, property data and your photos. The measured survey comes at the building regs stage, wherever the property is.