Discharge your planning conditions, £309 for a pack of up to three
Permission is granted, and then comes the list: materials samples, a drainage plan, a construction method, a landscaping scheme. Until the right ones are cleared, you cannot lawfully start. We prepare the details and file the application: £309.
- £309 fixed, up to 3 conditions
- Details drawn and filed
- Free redraws until approval
What does it cost to discharge planning conditions?
Our fee is £309 for a pack covering up to three conditions, with no VAT to add and no survey fee. The council charges its own fee when we file, and it must be paid at the time. We read each condition, work out what the council wants to see and prepare exactly that.
What is in the £309 pack
- A reading of the decision notice, with each condition sorted into what must be cleared before work starts and what comes later
- The details each condition asks for: a plan, a specification or a method statement, drawn or written for it
- The covering letter that ties each document to its condition number
- Filing of the request with the council’s fee, and replies to the officer
- Free changes until the condition is approved
What is a pre-commencement condition?
It is a condition that stops development starting until you have done something, usually worded “no development shall take place until…”. The government’s guidance says they should be used only where the requirement is so fundamental that the permission would otherwise be refused (gov.uk).
Starting work first is the expensive mistake. Development carried out before a pre-commencement condition is met would be unlawful and may lead to enforcement action. If you do not want to comply with a condition, there are other routes, including changing it or applying for permission after the event (section 73A).
What the council wants to see for common conditions
It varies, and a condition’s wording sets the limit of what is asked. Materials conditions want samples or a schedule with photographs. Drainage conditions want a plan and calculations. Construction conditions on a London street want a management plan covering hours, deliveries and dust. We read the wording line by line and give the officer the document it names.
- Materials: samples, a schedule, a photograph of a sample panel
- Drainage and water: a plan with levels and a method
- Construction management: working hours, deliveries, protection of neighbours
- Landscaping and trees: a planting plan and tree protection
How long it takes, and what to do if it stalls
The council should decide within 8 weeks, or longer by written agreement. If it does not decide within 12 weeks, the fee comes back to you, and you may be able to appeal or seek deemed discharge after six weeks of unreasonable delay (gov.uk). We watch the dates and chase the officer.
If a condition cannot be met as written, we prepare a planning amendment instead.
How discharge works, in figures
- 8 weeks
- The council must notify its decision on a discharge request within 8 weeks of receiving it, unless a longer time is agreed in writing. gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
- 12 weeks
- If no decision is made within 12 weeks, the council must return the fee. gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
- 6 weeks
- A deemed discharge notice can only be served after at least 6 weeks, where there is unreasonable delay. gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
- £89 / £309
- The council fee to discharge conditions is £89 for a householder application and £309 for any other development, from 1 April 2026. National fee schedule from 1 April 2026, published by Bradford Council
- No retrospective fee
- The fee must be paid when the request is made and cannot be paid afterwards. gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
- Unlawful
- Development begun before a pre-commencement condition is met would be unlawful and may be the subject of enforcement action. gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
- 3 years
- Permission in England lapses unless development begins within three years, so slow discharge can cost you the permission. Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s.91
Discharge of conditions questions
Can I start building before conditions are discharged?
Not if they are pre-commencement conditions. Starting early would be unlawful and may lead to enforcement action. Conditions that apply later can be cleared as the work goes on.
How much does the council charge?
From 1 April 2026 the national fee is £89 for a householder application and £309 for any other development, paid when the request is made.
Sources: National fee schedule from 1 April 2026 · gov.uk, Use of planning conditions
What if I have more than three conditions?
We quote a larger pack before we start. The £309 covers up to three.
How long will the council take?
The council should decide within 8 weeks, or longer if agreed in writing. We cannot promise a date.
What if the council refuses to discharge a condition?
You have a right of appeal where the council refuses or does not decide in time. We redraw free until approval.
Other services people book with this one
Got conditions on your permission?
Send the decision notice. We sort the conditions into before and after the build and reply with a fixed fee.