Kimmins announces increase to planning fees in Northern Ireland from 1 April 2025

Infrastructure Minster Liz Kimmins has announced that an inflationary increase in planning fees will come into effect from 1 April 2025.

Minister Kimmins said: “This increase of 2.1% will be applied across all planning application categories and is necessary to support councils and the Department to cover the processing of the applications.

“This is in line with the Public Accounts Committee's recommendation that the planning system needs to be financially sustainable and is part of the plans to improve the planning service to support development across the north.

“Early work has also commenced between my department and local Councils, to identify the challenges and opportunities to improve the planning service function at local government level in the two-tier planning system.”

Notes to editors: 

1. The Department will make a Statutory Rule under powers conferred on it by sections 223(1), (9) and 247(1) of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to amend the Planning (Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 to increase planning fees by approximately 2.1%. The uplift is based on the Consumer Price Index Rate of 2.1% from January 2024 to September 2024.
2. The Regulations (S.R. 2025 No.49) and Explanatory Memorandum will be made available on the following link: Legislation.gov.uk