UK Planning Application Statistics 2026: Approvals, Speed and Appeals
Planning authorities in England received 314,200 planning applications in the year to June 2026, down 5% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG. They granted 254,100, or 87% of decisions. Volumes have halved since 2007. Only 19% of major applications were decided within the statutory 13 weeks, but 91% were on time once agreed extensions are counted. Planning permission was granted for 212,000 homes, down 12%. On appeal, inspectors allowed 31% of Section 78 planning appeals in the latest quarter.
Key statistics
- Planning authorities in England received 314,200 planning applications in the year to June 2026, down 5% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
- Planning authorities in England granted 254,100 applications in the year to June 2026, 87% of all decisions, according to MHCLG.
- Planning applications received in England fell 51.5% from 648,205 in the year to June 2007 to 314,201 in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
- Major applications in England were 72 points more likely to be decided on time with extensions (91%) than within the statutory 13 weeks (19%) in April to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
- Planning permission was granted for 212,000 homes in England in the year to June 2026, down 12% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data.
How many planning applications are submitted in England each year
MHCLG counts every application for planning permission made to district level planning authorities in England. The latest data runs to June 2026.
England received 314,200 planning applications in the year to June 2026. That is the lowest total for any year to June since 2006. Volumes fell 51.5% from 648,205 in the year to June 2007, with the first big drop in the 2008 downturn. They then held between about 440,000 and 480,000 a year until 2019.
The second fall is recent. Applications spiked in the year to June 2021 as lockdown ended, then dropped 33.4% over five years. MHCLG describes a steep downward trend since that peak. Councils still had 114,000 applications on hand at the end of June 2026, up 3%.
Householder schemes such as extensions and loft conversions are the core of the system. They made up 50% of decisions in the year to June 2026, down from 52%. Householder decisions fell 14% in the latest quarter alone, faster than decisions overall.
- Received
- Granted
Source: MHCLG. Annual sums calculated by StatisticsGlobal.
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Planning authorities in England received 314,200 planning applications in the year to June 2026, down 5% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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Planning authorities in England received 78,700 planning applications in April to June 2026, down 2% on the same quarter of 2025, according to MHCLG.
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Planning authorities in England decided 291,900 planning applications in the year to June 2026, down 5% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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English planning authorities had 114,000 applications on hand at the end of June 2026, up 3% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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Planning applications received in England fell 51.5% from 648,205 in the year to June 2007 to 314,201 in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: (314.201 - 648.205) / 648.205 = -51.5%. Each year is the sum of the four quarters ending September, December, March and June (Figure 1, Charts data file).
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Planning applications received in England fell 33.4% from 471,539 in the year to June 2021 to 314,201 in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: (314.201 - 471.539) / 471.539 = -33.4%. Sums of four quarters ending June each year (Figure 1, Charts data file).
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English councils decided 145,600 householder planning applications in the year to June 2026 and granted 90% of them, according to MHCLG.
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Householder applications made up 51% of planning decisions in England in April to June 2026, down from 54% a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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English councils made 551 permission in principle decisions in April to June 2026, up 79% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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English councils accepted 81% of the 6,000 permitted development prior approval applications reported in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
| Year to June | Received | Decided | Granted | Share granted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 648.2 | 588.3 | 463.4 | 78.8% |
| 2010 | 475.4 | 425.4 | 342.6 | 80.5% |
| 2014 | 470.1 | 419.9 | 350.1 | 83.4% |
| 2018 | 464.7 | 426.1 | 374.0 | 87.8% |
| 2020 | 398.8 | 369.4 | 323.0 | 87.4% |
| 2021 | 471.5 | 399.0 | 351.3 | 88.0% |
| 2022 | 437.7 | 411.5 | 361.5 | 87.9% |
| 2023 | 381.2 | 364.8 | 315.7 | 86.6% |
| 2024 | 342.4 | 327.2 | 280.1 | 85.6% |
| 2025 | 329.7 | 306.7 | 266.3 | 86.8% |
| 2026 | 314.2 | 291.9 | 254.1 | 87.0% |
Planning application approval rate
Most planning applications in England are approved. The grant rate has risen over two decades, while the number of applications has fallen.
English councils granted 87% of decisions in the year to June 2026, the same as a year earlier. The rate was 78.7% in the year to June 2006. It climbed through the early 2010s and has stayed between 85% and 89% since 2015.
Approval depends heavily on the type of scheme. Householder and commercial applications were both granted 90% of the time. Residential schemes, which create new homes, were granted 76% of the time. Officers, not councillors, made 97% of decisions.
Scotland approves a higher share. Its councils approved 92.2% of applications in 2024/25, and the rate has sat between 92% and 94% for five years. The periods and counting rules differ, so the 5.2-point gap is a guide only.
Source: MHCLG. Shares calculated by StatisticsGlobal.
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Planning authorities in England granted 254,100 applications in the year to June 2026, 87% of all decisions, according to MHCLG.
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English planning authorities granted 88% of the planning decisions they made in April to June 2026, unchanged on a year earlier, according to MHCLG.
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The share of English planning decisions granted rose from 78.7% in the year to June 2006 to 87.0% in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: 2006: 464.160 granted / 590.020 decided = 78.7%. 2026: 254.065 / 291.861 = 87.0%. Difference 8.4 points (unrounded). Four quarters ending June.
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English councils granted 28,000 residential planning applications in the year to June 2026, 76% of residential decisions, according to MHCLG.
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English councils granted 5,600 commercial planning applications in the year to June 2026, 90% of commercial decisions, according to MHCLG.
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Council officers made 97% of planning decisions in England under delegated powers in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
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Scottish planning authorities approved 92.2% of planning applications in 2024/25, according to the Scottish Government.
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Scotland approved 92.2% of planning applications in 2024/25, 5.2 points above the 87% England granted in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Scottish Government and MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: 92.2% (Scotland, 2024/25) - 87% (England, year to June 2026, MHCLG release) = 5.2 points.
| Measure | Approval rate | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| England, all decisions | 87% | Year to June 2026 | MHCLG |
| England, householder | 90% | Year to June 2026 | MHCLG |
| England, commercial | 90% | Year to June 2026 | MHCLG |
| England, residential | 76% | Year to June 2026 | MHCLG |
| England, permitted development prior approvals | 81% | April to June 2026 | MHCLG |
| Scotland, all applications | 92.2% | 2024/25 | Scottish Government |
Planning decision times for major, minor and householder applications
Councils must decide major applications within 13 weeks and most others within 8 weeks. They can agree longer with the applicant, and most do.
The headline speed figure hides a large gap. English councils decided 91% of major applications on time in April to June 2026. But only 19% met the statutory 13 weeks. The rest were on time only because the applicant agreed an extension or a planning performance agreement.
The statutory figure is getting worse. It fell 4 points in a year for majors, 3 points for minor schemes and 4 points for other applications. Over the full year to June 2026, 19.3% of 9,353 major decisions met 13 weeks without an extension.
Extensions are now the norm for big schemes. They were used in 77% of major decisions and 41% of all decisions. Scotland reports speed differently. Its councils decided 62.9% of local applications within two months in 2024/25, and major schemes took 37.4 weeks on average.
Source: MHCLG.
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English councils decided 91% of major planning applications within 13 weeks or an agreed extended time in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
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English councils decided 19% of major planning applications within the statutory 13 weeks in April to June 2026, down 4 points, according to MHCLG.
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Major applications in England were 72 points more likely to be decided on time with extensions (91%) than within the statutory 13 weeks (19%) in April to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: 91% decided within 13 weeks or agreed time - 19% within the statutory 13 weeks = 72 percentage points.
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English councils decided 19.3% of the 9,353 major applications they decided in the year to June 2026 within 13 weeks without an extension, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: 1,808 major decisions in time excluding performance agreements / 9,353 major decisions (all) = 19.3%. Including 6,725 in time under agreements, 8,533 / 9,353 = 91.2%.
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Performance agreements or time extensions were used in 77% of major planning decisions in England in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
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English councils decided 87% of minor planning applications within 8 weeks or an agreed time in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
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English councils decided 39% of minor planning applications within the statutory 8 weeks in April to June 2026, down 3 points, according to MHCLG.
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English councils decided 58% of other planning applications, such as householder schemes, within the statutory 8 weeks in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
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Scottish councils decided 62.9% of local development applications within two months in 2024/25, down from 67.8% in 2020/21, according to the Scottish Government.
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Major planning applications in Scotland took 37.4 weeks on average to decide in 2024/25, according to the Scottish Government.
| Type | Within statutory period | Within statutory or agreed time | Gap (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major (13 weeks) | 19% | 91% | 72 |
| Minor (8 weeks) | 39% | 87% | 48 |
| Other, incl. householder (8 weeks) | 58% | 90% | 32 |
Planning applications by region and local authority
Grant rates vary more between councils than between regions. We ranked all 310 district level planning authorities using MHCLG's unrounded open data for the year to June 2026.
London is both the busiest and the strictest region. Its councils made 18.0% of England's decisions in the year to June 2026 and granted 82.5% of them. In the latest quarter London's rate was 84%, against 92% in the North East.
Westminster received the most applications of any council, 5,354. Large unitary councils such as Cornwall, Buckinghamshire and North Yorkshire follow. Each covers a wide area.
The median council granted 88.4% of decisions. Among the 233 councils with at least 500 decisions, rates ran from 64.8% in Barking and Dagenham to 97.2% in Fareham. Small councils can swing widely, so we left out those with fewer decisions.
Source: MHCLG, PS1 open data, four quarters July 2025 to June 2026. Ranking calculated by StatisticsGlobal.
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London councils granted 84% of planning decisions in April to June 2026, the lowest rate of any English region, according to MHCLG.
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North East councils granted 92% of planning decisions in April to June 2026, the highest rate of any English region, according to MHCLG.
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Westminster received more planning applications than any other English council in the year to June 2026, with 5,354, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: Applications received summed over 2025 Q3 to 2026 Q2 for each authority and ranked. Next: Cornwall 5,015, Buckinghamshire 4,930, North Yorkshire 4,835, Wiltshire 4,109.
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The median English planning authority granted 88.4% of its planning decisions in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: Grant rate (total granted / total decisions, grand total) for each of 310 authorities over four quarters, then the median of the 310 rates = 88.4%.
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Planning grant rates across larger English councils ranged from 64.8% in Barking and Dagenham to 97.2% in Fareham in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: Barking and Dagenham 441 granted / 681 decided = 64.8%. Fareham 559 / 575 = 97.2%. Gap 32.4 points (unrounded). Sum of four quarters 2025 Q3 to 2026 Q2.
| Region | Decisions | Share granted |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 56,449 | 87.8% |
| London | 52,602 | 82.5% |
| East of England | 38,155 | 86.1% |
| South West | 35,828 | 89.8% |
| North West | 27,518 | 88.3% |
| West Midlands | 23,467 | 87.2% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 22,756 | 87.0% |
| East Midlands | 21,360 | 89.5% |
| North East | 8,922 | 90.5% |
| National Parks | 4,804 | 90.4% |
| England | 291,861 | 87.0% |
Housing units granted planning permission
MHCLG counts applications, not homes. It buys data on homes from the contractor Glenigan, which it publishes as context rather than official statistics.
Planning permission was granted for 212,000 homes in England in the year to June 2026. That is 12% down on a year earlier and 29.8% down on 2022. Each detailed permission covered 14.1 homes on average.
The pipeline looks stronger at the outline stage. Outline applications covered 246,000 homes, up 41%, even though the number of outline applications fell 6%. Each one covered 84 homes on average, so the rise comes from a few very large schemes.
Permissions are not completions. MHCLG warns that many permissions never become homes, and that its figures cannot remove all double counting. The East of England had the most homes permitted, 39,400, or 19% of the total.
Source: MHCLG using Glenigan data.
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Planning permission was granted for 212,000 homes in England in the year to June 2026, down 12% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data.
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Homes granted planning permission in England fell 29.8% from 302,000 in the year to June 2022 to 212,000 in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG and Glenigan data.
How we calculated it: (212,000 - 302,000) / 302,000 = -29.8% (Table 3, rolling annual totals to Q2).
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Each detailed residential planning permission in England covered 14.1 homes on average in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG and Glenigan data.
How we calculated it: 212,000 homes granted / 15,000 detailed residential permissions = 14.1 homes per permission (Table 3).
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Outline planning applications in England covered 246,000 homes in the year to June 2026, up 41% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data.
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Each outline residential planning application in England covered 84 homes on average in the year to June 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG and Glenigan data.
How we calculated it: 246,000 units / 2,930 outline applications = 84.0 homes per application (Table 3a).
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Detailed planning applications in England covered 274,000 homes in the year to June 2026, down 8% on a year earlier, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data.
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The East of England had 39,400 homes granted planning permission in the year to June 2026, 19% of the England total, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data.
| Year to June | Detailed permissions | Homes granted | Change in homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 19,320 | 302,000 | n/a |
| 2023 | 17,320 | 267,000 | -11% |
| 2024 | 16,600 | 240,000 | -10% |
| 2025 | 15,330 | 242,000 | 1% |
| 2026 | 15,000 | 212,000 | -12% |
Planning appeal success rate
Applicants refused permission can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Most appeals are Section 78 appeals against a refusal.
About three in ten planning appeals succeed. Inspectors allowed 31% of Section 78 appeals in July to September 2026, and 31.1% over the year to September. The rate has edged up from 28% at the end of 2024.
The procedure matters a lot. Appeals decided on written representations, the vast majority, succeeded 30% of the time in the latest quarter. Inquiries succeeded 53% of the time, and in most quarters since 2021 they topped 60%.
Appeals now arrive faster than they are decided. Receipts rose 10% to 9,800 in the year to September 2026, while decisions fell, so receipts beat decisions by 700. Appeals lodged equal about 26% of council refusals, though the periods are a quarter apart. Median decision time still improved, from 23 weeks in 2025 to 18 weeks.
- Received
- Decided
Source: Planning Inspectorate, Annex C Table A. Calendar quarters.
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Inspectors allowed 31% of Section 78 planning appeals in July to September 2026, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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Inspectors allowed 31.1% of Section 78 planning appeals decided in England from October 2025 to September 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Planning Inspectorate data.
How we calculated it: Allowed: 781 + 713 + 669 + 670 = 2,833. Decided: 2,582 + 2,249 + 2,125 + 2,144 = 9,100. 2,833 / 9,100 = 31.1% (Annex C Tables A and C).
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Inspectors allowed 53% of Section 78 appeals decided by inquiry in July to September 2026, against 30% decided on written representations, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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Applicants lodged 9,800 Section 78 planning appeals in England from October 2025 to September 2026, 10% more than a year earlier, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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Section 78 appeal receipts exceeded decisions by 700 in England from October 2025 to September 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Planning Inspectorate data.
How we calculated it: Received 2,442 + 2,525 + 2,364 + 2,469 = 9,800. Decided 9,100. 9,800 - 9,100 = 700 (Annex C Table A).
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Section 78 appeals lodged in England equalled about 26% of refused planning applications in 2025 to 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Planning Inspectorate and MHCLG data.
How we calculated it: 9,800 s78 appeals received / 37,796 refusals (PS2 total refused, four quarters to June 2026) = 25.9%.
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The Planning Inspectorate made 18,478 appeal decisions in the 12 months to September 2026, an average of 1,540 a month, according to its statistical release.
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The Planning Inspectorate made 19,985 appeal decisions in 2025, with a 12-month median decision time of 23 weeks, according to its statistical release.
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The median appeal took 18 weeks from valid to decision in the 12 months to September 2026, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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Median appeal decision times in England fell by 5 weeks, from 23 weeks in 2025 to 18 weeks in the 12 months to September 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Planning Inspectorate data.
How we calculated it: 12-month median, all cases: 23 weeks for January to December 2025 (release of 22 January 2026) minus 18 weeks for October 2025 to September 2026 (release of 22 October 2026). The windows overlap by three months.
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Planning appeals had a median decision time of 16 weeks in the 12 months to September 2026, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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Enforcement appeals had a median decision time of 66 weeks in the 12 months to September 2026, according to the Planning Inspectorate.
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The Planning Inspectorate had 10,025 cases open at the end of September 2026, according to its statistical release.
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The Planning Inspectorate employed 491 planning inspectors at the end of September 2026, according to its statistical release.
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English planning authorities issued 1,071 enforcement notices in April to June 2026, according to MHCLG.
| Quarter | Written representations | Hearings | Inquiries | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct to Dec 2024 | 26% | 50% | 71% | 28% |
| Jan to Mar 2025 | 31% | 57% | 69% | 33% |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 30% | 51% | 82% | 32% |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 29% | 59% | 79% | 31% |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 29% | 39% | 67% | 30% |
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 30% | 61% | 64% | 32% |
| Apr to Jun 2026 | 29% | 53% | 66% | 31% |
| Jul to Sep 2026 | 30% | 54% | 53% | 31% |
How the sources measure planning applications
MHCLG figures come from quarterly PS1 and PS2 returns sent by every district level planning authority in England. They count applications and decisions, not homes or floorspace. Headline figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Our council rankings use the unrounded open data and sum four quarters, so they can differ slightly from the release.
Housing unit figures come from Glenigan, a contractor. MHCLG publishes them as context, not as Accredited Official Statistics. The latest quarter is provisional and is usually revised up. The 212,000 headline and the 212,500 regional total in the same release differ because of rounding.
Planning Inspectorate data comes from its case systems and covers England. Decision time runs from when an appeal is valid to the decision letter. The October 2026 release removed 247 duplicated cases and corrected an error in receipts, so older releases may not match.
The Scottish Government publishes on financial years and separates applications with processing agreements, so its figures are not directly comparable with England's. This page does not cover Wales or Northern Ireland, so UK-wide totals are not given. For other UK official data we track, see our sustainable packaging statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How many planning applications are approved in the UK?
In England, councils granted 87% of decisions in the year to June 2026, or 254,100 applications, according to MHCLG. Scotland approved 92.2% in 2024/25, according to the Scottish Government.
Are planning applications going down?
Yes. England received 314,200 applications in the year to June 2026, down 5% on a year earlier and 51.5% below the year to June 2007, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data.
How long does a planning application take?
The legal target is 8 weeks for most applications and 13 weeks for major ones. Only 19% of major applications met 13 weeks in April to June 2026, but 91% were on time once agreed extensions are counted, according to MHCLG.
Which council refuses the most planning applications?
Among English councils with at least 500 decisions in the year to June 2026, Barking and Dagenham had the lowest grant rate at 64.8%, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from MHCLG data. London as a region granted 82.5%.
What percentage of planning appeals are successful?
Inspectors allowed 31% of Section 78 planning appeals in July to September 2026, according to the Planning Inspectorate. Appeals heard at inquiry succeeded 53% of the time.
How many homes get planning permission each year?
Planning permission was granted for 212,000 homes in England in the year to June 2026, down 12%, according to MHCLG using Glenigan data. Many permissions are never built.
Sources
- MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), Planning applications in England: April to June 2026 - statistical release, Updated 29 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), Planning applications in England: April to June 2026 - data for charts, September 2026, linked from Live tables on planning application statistics. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- Scottish Government, Planning Applications Statistics 2024/2025: Annual and Quarterly (October 2024 to March 2025), 5 December 2025. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), PS2 data - last four quarters open data table (to June 2026), September 2026, linked from Live tables on planning application statistics. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), PS1 data - last four quarters open data table (to June 2026), September 2026, linked from Live tables on planning application statistics. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- Planning Inspectorate, Planning Inspectorate statistical release 22 October 2026, 22 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
- Planning Inspectorate, Planning Inspectorate statistical release 22 November 2025, 22 January 2026. Link · Saved data copy · Licence: Open Government Licence v3.0
Changes to this page
- : Page published with MHCLG data to June 2026, Planning Inspectorate data to September 2026 and Scottish Government data for 2024/25.