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24th September 2026

8 weeks to get a decision on a planning application - reality v myth

Latest figures published today by MHCLG have been analysed to show the true picture, excluding all extensions of time, to reveal what percentage of planning applications for minor developments really get determined within the statutory 8 week deadline. There is some seasonality to be expected, but any significant improvement or worsening can give you room for hope/despair as appropriate. In any event, it's always helpful to set your clients' expectations at a realistic level. 

The figures are for MINOR planning applications, including householder developments. They include Q13 minor dwellings; Q14 minor offices/ R&D/ light industry; Q15 minor general industry/ storage/ warehousing; Q16 minor retail and service; Q17 minor traveller caravan pitches; Q18 all other minor developments; Q20 change of use; Q21 householder developments. 

Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Adur 45% 51% 68% 66% 56%
Amber Valley 64% 65% 57% 52% 45%
Arun 93% 90% 86% 88% 86%
Ashfield 59% 43% 63% 70% 82%
Ashford 67% 60% 66% 49% 29%
Babergh 74% 70% 66% 47% 64%
Barking and Dagenham 93% 85% 87% 82% 72%
Barnet 74% 76% 72% 68% 71%
Barnsley7 34% 27% 47% 42% 55%
Basildon 57% 61% 47% 43% 48%
Basingstoke and Deane 43% 46% 50% 53% 59%
Bassetlaw 18% 23% 19% 25% 34%
Bath and North East Somerset 46% 42% 43% 38% 54%
Bedford 44% 37% 48% 40% 45%
Bexley 81% 78% 78% 79% 72%
Birmingham 27% 37% 44% 40% 34%
Blaby 53% 44% 41% 32% 21%
Blackburn with Darwen 66% 60% 67% 56% 60%
Blackpool 49% 56% 51% 40% 60%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Bolsover 67% 68% 60% 71% 73%
Bolton 41% 49% 53% 46% 52%
Boston 62% 58% 57% 19% 52%
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 25% 32% 41% 43% 51%
Bracknell Forest 29% 31% 38% 30% 21%
Bradford 53% 47% 55% 49% 60%
Braintree 66% 62% 70% 61% 67%
Breckland 65% 60% 58% 58% 63%
Brent 70% 65% 71% 73% 71%
Brentwood 28% 26% 32% 31% 34%
Brighton and Hove 57% 39% 36% 38% 50%
Bristol, City of 57% 50% 53% 52% 52%
Broadland 53% 59% 56% 49% 55%
Bromley 64% 46% 64% 62% 67%
Bromsgrove 53% 56% 56% 46% 47%
Broxbourne 48% 44% 38% 42% 43%
Broxtowe 75% 69% 69% 72% 73%
Buckinghamshire 51% 41% 17% 15% 33%
Burnley 54% 55% 73% 62% 63%
Bury 65% 64% 69% 75% 79%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Calderdale 54% 40% 48% 41% 50%
Cambridge 68% 75% 73% 72% 76%
Camden 63% 48% 45% 35% 1%
Cannock Chase 70% 63% 65% 75% 75%
Canterbury 43% 29% 27% 45% 61%
Castle Point 96% 92% 83% 89% 92%
Central Bedfordshire 74% 68% 64% 56% 63%
Charnwood 66% 74% 54% 46% 62%
Chelmsford 73% 76% 72% 67% 70%
Cheltenham 71% 76% 78% 62% 66%
Cherwell 41% 39% 45% 37% 37%
Cheshire East 22% 35% 32% 32% 35%
Cheshire West and Chester 21% 20% 39% 38% 46%
Chesterfield 33% 30% 37% 36% 52%
Chichester 82% 81% 89% 80% 81%
Chorley 68% 63% 65% 60% 51%
City of London 11% 11% 13% 11% 18%
Colchester 74% 74% 75% 65% 60%
Cornwall 59% 64% 63% 61% 66%
Cotswold 54% 51% 44% 39% 48%
County Durham 44% 46% 50% 43% 56%
Coventry 87% 87% 91% 89% 90%
Crawley 31% 19% 23% 16% 20%
Croydon 56% 56% 49% 50% 57%
Cumberland 45% 41% 39% 28% 45%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Dacorum 66% 66% 60% 69% 68%
Darlington 62% 59% 63% 56% 63%
Dartford 51% 58% 69% 82% 75%
Dartmoor National Park 39% 56% 61% 42% 56%
Derby 31% 36% 34% 51% 46%
Derbyshire Dales 52% 56% 50% 42% 62%
Doncaster 74% 64% 64% 54% 61%
Dorset 67% 63% 66% 55% 59%
Dover 69% 72% 62% 63% 69%
Dudley 69% 73% 66% 40% 66%
Ealing 39% 37% 38% 37% 44%
East Cambridgeshire 65% 66% 68% 52% 53%
East Devon 55% 48% 56% 55% 54%
East Hampshire 9% 20% 19% 25% 19%
East Hertfordshire 73% 54% 61% 53% 54%
East Lindsey 48% 60% 52% 34% 39%
East Riding of Yorkshire 88% 87% 89% 86% 91%
East Staffordshire 28% 18% 17% 10% 22%
East Suffolk 49% 49% 50% 50% 44%
Eastbourne 52% 63% 55% 43% 50%
Eastleigh 64% 64% 80% 69% 78%
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation 54% 75% 67% 50% 67%
Elmbridge 62% 60% 47% 33% 62%
Enfield 78% 79% 85% 81% 83%
Epping Forest 61% 60% 65% 63% 64%
Epsom and Ewell 90% 80% 85% 82% 83%
Erewash 74% 48% 57% 43% 71%
Exeter 58% 50% 46% 50% 48%
Exmoor National Park 45% 49% 38% 38% 39%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Fareham 82% 82% 76% 87% 81%
Fenland 59% 56% 58% 56% 60%
Folkestone and Hythe 88% 87% 88% 93% 92%
Forest of Dean 57% 54% 47% 40% 58%
Fylde 55% 41% 52% 53% 42%
Gateshead 42% 23% 23% 13% 25%
Gedling 55% 52% 51% 50% 41%
Gloucester 52% 43% 44% 58% 62%
Gosport 63% 72% 57% 59% 85%
Gravesham 70% 49% 66% 72% 59%
Great Yarmouth 47% 53% 60% 42% 43%
Greenwich 68% 67% 66% 60% 70%
Guildford 23% 24% 27% 31% 28%
Hackney 46% 54% 48% 44% 47%
Halton 73% 60% 84% 45% 61%
Hammersmith and Fulham 34% 33% 39% 23% 19%
Harborough 52% 32% 42% 38% 38%
Haringey 57% 52% 50% 53% 49%
Harlow 77% 43% 51% 68% 67%
Harrow 68% 64% 62% 54% 72%
Hart 67% 64% 68% 55% 57%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Hartlepool 43% 47% 60% 43% 42%
Hartlepool Development Corporation5 0% 20% 71% 0% 67%
Hastings 33% 52% 59% 49% 54%
Havant 38% 36% 14% 20% 25%
Havering 50% 52% 50% 54% 56%
Herefordshire, County of 18% 33% 34% 31% 42%
Hertsmere 44% 49% 40% 33% 44%
High Peak 29% 21% 25% 19% 25%
Hillingdon 57% 48% 49% 50% 51%
Hinckley and Bosworth 44% 32% 31% 17% 25%
Horsham 58% 50% 52% 59% 58%
Hounslow 54% 53% 48% 55% 53%
Huntingdonshire 44% 36% 42% 45% 35%
Hyndburn 51% 28% 52% 45% 48%
Ipswich 49% 57% 68% 61% 73%
Isle of Wight 83% 82% 84% 81% 85%
Isles of Scilly 50% 60% 45% 33% 40%
Islington 41% 38% 42% 48% 47%
Kensington and Chelsea 53% 59% 54% 0% 20%
King's Lynn and West Norfolk 66% 67% 74% 76% 75%
Kingston upon Hull, City of 30% 34% 35% 19% 50%
Kingston upon Thames 80% 77% 58% 74% 79%
Kirklees 41% 35% 36% 31% 39%
Knowsley 50% 53% 46% 55% 49%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Lake District National Park 59% 58% 60% 47% 49%
Lambeth 59% 48% 52% 51% 36%
Lancaster 57% 67% 54% 60% 62%
Leeds 63% 63% 67% 68% 66%
Leicester 37% 50% 44% 58% 63%
Lewes 49% 62% 71% 67% 63%
Lewisham 73% 61% 68% 62% 74%
Lichfield 91% 92% 90% 89% 89%
Lincoln 71% 68% 69% 63% 72%
Liverpool 59% 54% 48% 57% 52%
Luton 48% 58% 59% 62% 60%
Maidstone 79% 69% 66% 61% 61%
Maldon 59% 41% 24% 38% 50%
Malvern Hills 61% 57% 58% 68% 71%
Manchester 70% 61% 59% 63% 59%
Mansfield 60% 49% 37% 39% 53%
Medway 83% 82% 80% 79% 80%
Melton 8% 2% 10% 16% 14%
Merton 65% 54% 56% 30% 8%
Mid Devon 59% 60% 62% 49% 64%
Mid Suffolk 70% 60% 65% 65% 64%
Mid Sussex 61% 56% 57% 57% 64%
Middlesbrough 43% 43% 32% 38% 46%
Middlesbrough Development Corporation 25% 16% 83% 40% 0%
Milton Keynes 71% 78% 71% 68% 49%
Mole Valley 61% 17% 39% 30% 39%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
New Forest 68% 68% 66% 66% 67%
New Forest National Park 35% 28% 56% 51% 63%
Newark and Sherwood 48% 47% 43% 35% 39%
Newcastle upon Tyne 46% 50% 57% 61% 53%
Newcastle-under-Lyme 44% 72% 58% 66% 63%
Newham 54% 49% 58% 58% 60%
North Devon 40% 58% 58% 56% 67%
North East Derbyshire 59% 65% 51% 36% 66%
North East Lincolnshire 59% 48% 44% 45% 52%
North Hertfordshire 62% 65% 60% 62% 64%
North Kesteven 51% 56% 59% 53% 28%
North Lincolnshire 59% 51% 52% 57% 55%
North Norfolk 53% 56% 54% 47% 44%
North Northamptonshire 38% 25% 21% 21% 16%
North Somerset 60% 62% 57% 58% 59%
North Tyneside 75% 72% 82% 76% 80%
North Warwickshire 44% 52% 31% 15% 12%
North West Leicestershire 48% 38% 33% 43% 25%
North York Moors National Park 79% 66% 62% 55% 63%
North Yorkshire 52% 52% 54% 44% 47%
Northumberland 46% 48% 54% 52% 52%
Northumberland National Park 67% 50% 60% 80% 44%
Norwich 72% 70% 59% 58% 68%
Nottingham 40% 44% 48% 47% 41%
Nuneaton and Bedworth 51% 58% 58% 47% 40%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Oadby and Wigston 59% 73% 66% 71% 76%
Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation 60% 58% 63% 60% 67%
Oldham 34% 31% 43% 34% 40%
Oxford 44% 33% 42% 37% 43%
Peak District National Park 74% 67% 51% 60% 73%
Pendle 48% 56% 66% 77% 78%
Peterborough 58% 62% 57% 53% 42%
Plymouth 67% 60% 69% 71% 76%
Portsmouth 42% 49% 53% 42% 42%
Preston 58% 51% 55% 48% 53%
Reading 40% 33% 37% 27% 48%
Redbridge 67% 52% 65% 64% 61%
Redcar and Cleveland 59% 58% 56% 54% 59%
Redditch 83% 54% 61% 68% 48%
Reigate and Banstead 68% 70% 73% 68% 65%
Ribble Valley 55% 45% 54% 48% 47%
Richmond upon Thames 62% 69% 68% 60% 68%
Rochdale 38% 50% 50% 39% 44%
Rochford 33% 54% 47% 52% 40%
Rossendale 29% 18% 18% 22% 31%
Rother 35% 27% 30% 1% 1%
Rotherham 74% 61% 76% 59% 66%
Rugby 44% 29% 26% 30% 29%
Runnymede 72% 59% 60% 55% 55%
Rushcliffe 46% 40% 39% 43% 44%
Rushmoor 71% 75% 82% 74% 77%
Rutland 78% 73% 56% 61% 56%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Salford 48% 45% 49% 38% 31%
Sandwell 73% 66% 55% 63% 66%
Sefton 68% 63% 60% 49% 60%
Sevenoaks 60% 63% 67% 59% 61%
Sheffield7 60% 59% 62% 52% 55%
Shropshire 74% 66% 71% 60% 67%
Slough 36% 46% 38% 43% 44%
Solihull 57% 58% 61% 51% 52%
Somerset 54% 53% 56% 56% 54%
South Cambridgeshire 64% 70% 64% 68% 70%
South Derbyshire 59% 48% 57% 51% 55%
South Downs National Park 32% 29% 38% 31% 40%
South Gloucestershire 54% 43% 41% 51% 52%
South Hams 62% 64% 70% 58% 63%
South Holland 56% 52% 60% 55% 61%
South Kesteven 27% 34% 32% 32% 24%
South Norfolk 57% 53% 48% 42% 43%
South Oxfordshire 71% 52% 63% 62% 45%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
South Ribble 63% 70% 61% 58% 59%
South Staffordshire 61% 55% 46% 47% 45%
South Tyneside 63% 55% 56% 44% 55%
Southampton 39% 57% 56% 63% 65%
Southend-on-Sea 53% 60% 58% 57% 56%
Southwark 66% 62% 65% 58% 64%
Spelthorne 77% 57% 59% 55% 59%
St Albans 21% 32% 31% 27% 22%
St. Helens 71% 69% 60% 75% 71%
Stafford 25% 20% 22% 17% 14%
Staffordshire Moorlands 33% 34% 26% 31% 29%
Stevenage 89% 65% 87% 52% 82%
Stockport 74% 63% 66% 68% 75%
Stockton-on-Tees 53% 57% 60% 43% 53%
Stoke-on-Trent 36% 16% 25% 24% 32%
Stratford-on-Avon 58% 52% 51% 59% 36%
Stroud 70% 63% 61% 52% 63%
Sunderland 63% 63% 62% 53% 72%
Surrey Heath 59% 58% 59% 63% 59%
Sutton 82% 87% 80% 87% 77%
Swale 29% 10% 30% 43% 59%
Swindon 75% 82% 87% 88% 86%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Tameside 64% 63% 63% 55% 69%
Tamworth 30% 41% 49% 44% 29%
Tandridge 53% 50% 36% 29% 40%
Teignbridge 69% 71% 78% 79% 77%
Telford and Wrekin 92% 90% 85% 87% 95%
Tendring 63% 70% 70% 70% 72%
Test Valley 59% 74% 69% 63% 62%
Tewkesbury 52% 46% 48% 36% 48%
Thanet 56% 54% 46% 44% 53%
The Broads Authority 65% 57% 30% 55% 48%
Three Rivers 77% 76% 77% 74% 73%
Thurrock 76% 68% 79% 57% 53%
Tonbridge and Malling 37% 43% 55% 30% 26%
Torbay 47% 39% 33% 25% 27%
Torridge 65% 60% 65% 50% 55%
Tower Hamlets 55% 50% 54% 49% 60%
Trafford 75% 62% 62% 52% 62%
Tunbridge Wells 77% 72% 73% 76% 69%
Uttlesford 71% 64% 73% 60% 60%
Vale of White Horse 57% 38% 49% 50% 25%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Wakefield 45% 44% 43% 27% 37%
Walsall 53% 39% 37% 35% 15%
Waltham Forest 67% 63% 70% 69% 78%
Wandsworth 55% 57% 55% 54% 56%
Warrington 70% 72% 70% 65% 52%
Warwick 41% 38% 53% 36% 43%
Watford 76% 72% 64% 79% 77%
Waverley 70% 56% 62% 53% 64%
Wealden 63% 63% 58% 58% 63%
Welwyn Hatfield 55% 45% 47% 45% 50%
West Berkshire 47% 52% 55% 41% 34%
West Devon 64% 52% 67% 62% 57%
West Lancashire 31% 38% 43% 21% 22%
West Lindsey 50% 57% 64% 62% 57%
West Northamptonshire 25% 16% 9% 11% 14%
West Oxfordshire 64% 65% 66% 59% 70%
West Suffolk 33% 47% 52% 42% 28%
Westminster 53% 60% 64% 5% 24%
Westmorland and Furness 42% 44% 44% 42% 30%
Minor planning applications decided within 8 weeks (excl EoT), by local planning authority April to June 2025 July to Sept 2025 Oct to Dec 2025 Jan to March 2026 April to June 2026
Wigan 38% 42% 49% 39% 47%
Wiltshire 44% 42% 42% 41% 45%
Winchester 54% 43% 43% 47% 45%
Windsor and Maidenhead 70% 69% 65% 67% 61%
Wirral 57% 52% 58% 45% 49%
Woking 45% 46% 61% 51% 35%
Wokingham 72% 64% 68% 62% 62%
Wolverhampton 67% 65% 63% 69% 74%
Worcester 58% 55% 73% 73% 50%
Worthing 50% 47% 50% 52% 52%
Wychavon 64% 64% 69% 66% 69%
Wyre 32% 23% 40% 32% 36%
Wyre Forest 59% 59% 68% 53% 60%
York 53% 59% 58% 48% 53%
Yorkshire Dales National Park 51% 39% 51% 39% 46%

Source: table PDR2 published 24/9/26 

We have noticed that the figures in MHCLG's table PRD2 are different from the figures presented by MHCLG's dashboard. The dashboard paints an unbelievably rosy picture compared to the raw data in table PRD2. The latter appears to reflect a more accurate picture, so has been used for the table above.