Planning applications in England fall by 22 per cent

The number of planning applications received by English 'district level' planning authorities during the last financial year totalled 507,000, a decrease of 22 per cent compared to the previous year.

These latest official statistics also showed that there were 489,000 decisions (granted or refused), a fall of 18 per cent on the previous year. Permissions amounted to 387,000. This rate of 83 per cent has been approximately the same since 2005/06. 

The figures indicated that some 71 per cent of major applications were decided within 13 weeks. This rate has stayed level since 2006/07. 

During 2008/09, ‘county level’ planning authorities received 1,667 ‘county matters' planning applications, eight per cent down the previous year.

There were 1,507 decisions of which 92 per cent were permissions. This rate has remained more or less level since 2001/02. 

The percentages of planning permissions granted, in 2008/09, ranged from the North East (91 per cent) and the North West (88 per cent) to the South East (81 per cent) and London (75 per cent).

The proportion of major applications decided within 13 weeks was highest in the North East (77 per cent) and lowest in the East and the South West (both 68 per cent). 

The percentage of minor applications decided within eight weeks was relatively high in the North East (80 per cent) and the North West (79 per cent).

 

Access Development Control Statistics: England 2008-09

 

Roger Milne

5 November 2009