There is significant variability across the London Boroughs in how successful they are in defending planning appeals. Appealfinder's comparison tables for the past 3 years of PINS statistics are below, revealing some uncomfortable truths about the likelihood of success for s78 planning appeals for appellants and local planning authorities alike.
At the top of the league table for s78 appeals for the year ending 31st March 2021 is Newham, which successfully defended 92% of its appeals with only 8% overturned/ allowed by the Planning Inspectorate. It was followed by Ealing, Havering and Barking & Dagenham with only 15% - 16% of appeals allowed. (This assessment excludes authorities with only 1 appeal in the year as it is unfair to base judgements on only 1 appeal.)
At the bottom of the league table this year was Merton, which had 56% of its appeals allowed. This is a significant worsening for Merton, which had 29% of appeals allowed in the year ending March 2020 and only 26% allowed in 2019.
S78 planning appeals in London Boroughs | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | |||
number decided | % allowed | number decided | % allowed | number decided | % allowed | |
Barking and Dagenham | 37 | 16% | 40 | 18% | 29 | 17% |
Barnet | 131 | 43% | 174 | 36% | 197 | 43% |
Bexley | 25 | 28% | 31 | 19% | 29 | 17% |
Brent | 65 | 25% | 82 | 26% | 79 | 33% |
Bromley | 92 | 35% | 139 | 29% | 153 | 31% |
Camden | 49 | 22% | 156 | 17% | 92 | 35% |
City of London | 1 | 0% | 10 | 20% | 22 | 5% |
Croydon | 59 | 19% | 75 | 17% | 84 | 27% |
Ealing | 41 | 15% | 63 | 29% | 65 | 22% |
Enfield | 60 | 22% | 123 | 27% | 133 | 25% |
Greenwich | 50 | 32% | 77 | 29% | 85 | 25% |
Hackney | 41 | 29% | 125 | 26% | 85 | 38% |
Hammersmith and Fulham | 43 | 40% | 130 | 31% | 90 | 44% |
Haringey | 45 | 27% | 77 | 21% | 61 | 21% |
Harrow | 51 | 27% | 86 | 28% | 62 | 26% |
Havering | 68 | 16% | 87 | 25% | 53 | 32% |
Hillingdon | 91 | 25% | 99 | 31% | 102 | 32% |
Hounslow | 57 | 28% | 75 | 35% | 84 | 30% |
Islington | 58 | 22% | 159 | 13% | 79 | 19% |
Kensington and Chelsea | 31 | 42% | 149 | 17% | 87 | 38% |
Kingston upon Thames | 26 | 31% | 46 | 37% | 67 | 34% |
Lambeth | 39 | 21% | 128 | 14% | 56 | 21% |
Lewisham | 65 | 25% | 109 | 29% | 79 | 24% |
London Legacy | 2 | 50% | 1 | 100% | 35 | 40% |
Merton | 16 | 56% | 41 | 29% | 58 | 26% |
Newham | 36 | 8% | 67 | 13% | 68 | 26% |
Old Oak & Park Royal | 1 | 100% | 0 | - | 121 | 29% |
Redbridge | 89 | 21% | 82 | 16% | 87 | 38% |
Richmond upon Thames | 48 | 23% | 73 | 32% | 67 | 34% |
Southwark | 25 | 32% | 116 | 14% | 56 | 21% |
Sutton | 37 | 27% | 68 | 18% | 79 | 24% |
Tower Hamlets | 26 | 23% | 134 | 10% | 35 | 40% |
Waltham Forest | 51 | 20% | 43 | 28% | 58 | 26% |
Wandsworth | 26 | 27% | 137 | 14% | 68 | 26% |
Westminster | 85 | 24% | 226 | 14% | 121 | 29% |
Some LPAs have improving performance, others worsening performance over time. This can reflect one or more of the following factors:
• progress of a Local Plan
• change in five year housing land supply position
• LPAs granting permission more readily after experiencing a previous swathe of appeals (behaviour adjustment)
• change in officers and/or councillors
• statistical variance, particularly there are only a small number of appeals
To find appeals that are relevant to you, use the search on our Home page.
Why not test out our service free for a month and find out for yourself how useful it can be. Just drop us a few details on our contact us form and we'll set things up.