Important updates to Planning, Building Control and Local Authority Search Fees
Published: 01/04/2026
Planning pre-application advice
Our pre‑application advice service gives you a chance to test your ideas with one of our planning officers and get a sense of how national and local policies might affect your plans, smoothing the pathway for your formal application.
It’s also a helpful way to find out early on if you’ll need any extra reports for your application, like transport, flooding, noise, ecology, trees or landscape. From 1 April 2026, fees for this service will be going up slightly so we can keep offering a reliable and useful service and maintain our 5/5 average star rating for advice given.
You can see everything that’s included on our pre-application-advice-web page.
Planning fee increases from 1 April 2026
In line with planning fees now being subject to indexation, fees for 2026 are due to increase by 3.8%. A full list of fees can be found on GOV.UK or via The Planning Portal's blog on fee increases from 1 April 2026.
Full details of how The Planning Portal are handling the transition process is also available via the above link. Applications received after close of business, 17:00 on Tuesday 31 March 2026, will be subject to the increased fees.
Building Control application fees - from 1 April 2026
Choosing the right building control service provider is just as important as choosing the right builder. Our Ashford Building Control team offers a friendly, professional, not‑for‑profit service to help make sure your project meets the required standards. Whether you need early advice before you start or support with a formal application, our officers are here to help things run smoothly. View a full list of services and fees from 1 April 2026.
Local authority search requests
Our top option for 2026/27 is still the full local authority search with results usually back in 2–3 working days (often sooner) but if its only the CON29 results you need, we can also provide those as required.
From 20 April 2026, the Official Certificate of Search will only be available directly from HM Land Registry, but we know it’s helpful to request everything together - so we’ll continue to offer a combined product. We’ll source the official certificate on your behalf and attach it to our CON29 results.
