What you are paying for
Price row: the heritage statement is £565 here, no VAT to add. Its main page is on our sister site Fixed Fee Plans, run by the same team.
A heritage statement answers two questions for a planning officer: what is significant about this building or place, and what does your project do to it? Our fixed fee of £565 covers the research, the description and the assessment, and the drawings it refers to must be consistent with it.
It is not a design service. If the statement finds a harmful part of the plan, we say so before submission, and the design can change.
How deep it has to go
National policy asks for an assessment of the significance of the assets affected, including any contribution from their setting, and of the potential effect of the proposal. The level of detail should be proportionate to the importance of the asset and no more than is necessary to understand the effect.
The policy adds that the relevant historic environment record should be consulted and that appropriate expertise should be used where needed. A small alteration to a modest house in a conservation area needs a short statement. A listed Georgian townhouse with new openings needs a thorough one.
The legal duties behind it
Two sections of the 1990 Listed Buildings Act explain why officers read these statements closely. For a listed building, section 66 says the council must have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting. For a conservation area, section 72 says special attention must be paid to preserving or enhancing its character or appearance.
National policy then gives substantial weight to the conservation of a designated asset, and treats any harm as a matter of considerable importance. A statement that names the harm honestly, and shows how it is reduced, is a stronger application than one that avoids the word.
Fees around the statement
The council’s side is simpler than people expect. GOV.UK lists applications for listed building consent among those for which no fee is payable. If you also need planning permission, the householder fee is £548.
In London, conservation areas are common. Islington has 42 and the City of London has 28, so a heritage statement is not just for listed buildings.
By the numbers
HE5
The national policy that requires an assessment of significance proportionate to the importance of the asset.
Substantial weight
The weight policy HE6 gives to conserving a designated heritage asset, increasing with its importance.
s66
Duty to have special regard to preserving a listed building or its setting.
Source: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 66 (legislation.gov.uk)
s72
Duty to pay special attention to preserving or enhancing a conservation area.
Source: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 72 (legislation.gov.uk)
No fee
Council fee for a listed building consent application.
Source: Fees for planning applications: applications that need no fee (GOV.UK)
£548
Council fee for a householder planning application for one house, where one is also needed.
Source: Planning fees: annual indexation from 1 April 2026 (GOV.UK)
42
Conservation areas in the London Borough of Islington.
28
Conservation areas in the City of London.
Heritage statement costs: common questions
Do I need a heritage statement for a house in a conservation area?
Often a short one. National policy expects an assessment for any proposal affecting a heritage asset, proportionate to its importance, and a council may ask for one at validation.
Does a listed building need both consent and planning permission?
Sometimes. Work that affects the character of a listed building needs listed building consent; external changes may also need planning permission. We confirm which at the start.
Is the statement included in your planning drawing fee?
No. It is a separate fixed-fee service, so you pay for it only when your project needs one.
Sources
- National Planning Policy Framework, chapter 20, policies HE5 and HE6 (GOV.UK, published 17 August 2026)
- Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 66 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 72 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Fees for planning applications: applications that need no fee (GOV.UK)
- Planning fees: annual indexation from 1 April 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Conservation areas in Islington (Islington Council)
- Conservation areas (City of London Corporation)
About the author. Ben Shaukat is Managing Director of Property Architecture Ltd, which trades as Planning Drawings.
Published by Planning Drawings. Checked against the sources above on . Planning rules change; check your council before you build.