What Will Planning Cost?

This section will give you a rough estimate of how much you may need to budget to get Planning Permission for a house in your garden and how, for a relatively small outlay, there may be potential for a good profit.

The following is an approximate guide to how much your fees will be to get Planning Permission for your new house in your garden:

• Architect’s fees – These will vary and it is important, when asking for quotes, that you check what you will be getting for the fee. This will allow you to compare like for like. Remember, a more thorough service may initially mean a slightly higher fee, but should be better value in the long-term. For a comprehensive service, without hidden extras, 3HW’s starting price would be in the region of £3000. However, for complicated projects, this would be more.

• Pre-Application Advice – In some circumstances, it may be beneficial for you to get Pre-Application Advice from your local authority before you submit a Planning Application. Your architect will advise you if this is the case. The charge from your Local Authority will depend on the type of development and the level of feedback required. The fees for Pre-Application Advice from Cornwall Council start at £150, including VAT for a desktop appraisal and feedback for a single dwelling. See our ‘Simple Guide to Pre-Application Advice’ for more information.

• Planning Application fees – Check on your local Council website. In Cornwall, will be £578 (no VAT) for one house from 6th December 2023.

• Site Survey – Between £1000 and £1500 +VAT, but higher if you have a very large plot or there is difficult access.

• Flood Risk Assessment – Only needed if your site is within an area where the Environment Agency considers there may be a flood risk. Your architect will advise you on this. If required, the report will be £500 - £1000.

• Ecological Survey – Again, this is not always necessary and your architect should advise you here. If it is required, the cost will vary with the circumstances of the site. Allow £400 +VAT for an initial report for estimate purposes.

• Desktop Mining Report – If required it will be in the region of £100 +VAT

Including the lower estimate of all the fees above (some of which you may not need), your initial outlay will start at £4485 +VAT where applicable.

Your land with Planning Permission for one house could be worth anywhere from £70,000 to £100,000+ depending on the area and value of the houses in the locality. Your estate agent can give you a more accurate valuation.

These figures show that, for a relatively small outlay, a large increase in market value can be achieved with a minimal decrease in the value of the existing property.

3HW’s fees for designing the building and external works, getting it ready for and submitting the Planning Application, start at £3000 +VAT. For more information about the service we provide for that fee, please contact us.