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Planning application timescales: how long to expect

Psycologists say we are most impatient at the end of the expected waiting time. Getting your expectations in the right ballpark can help enormously in handling the frustration of a long wait for a decision by a local planning authority. It can also help in the tricky judgement of whether to consider making an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate on the grounds of non-determination.

If only there was certainty about how long to expect to wait for a decision on planning applications. Then perhaps we could set our expectations at a realistic level and pace out the waiting time. Well, there is some good news.

DLUHC have finally realised how LPAs have been massaging their figures and have now published the genuine percentage of planning applications decided within statutory timescales excluding extensions of time. This at least enables a realistic conversation with applicants. It might not be welcome news, but it helps to set expectations which in turn reduces impatience later. It might even make LPAs work faster (we have to live in hope).

The DLUHC figures for the year ending September 2023 can be downloaded from the .GOV website, and are summarised below.

Percentage of planning applications decided within statutory timescales, EXCLUDING extensions of time

Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
England average 86% 43% 19% 37% 56%






Adur 94% 52% 12% 46% 49%
Allerdale 96% 31% 67% 58% 82%
Amber Valley 93% 55% 11% 25% 59%
Arun 90% 8% 37% 64% 94%
Ashfield 80% 33% 5% 35% 62%
Ashford 88% 53% 13% 23% 43%
Babergh 89% 10% 21% 55% 80%
Barking and Dagenham 64% 11% 18% 80% 96%
Barnet 80% 38% 16% 37% 49%
Barnsley 89% 50% 0% 39% 50%
Barrow-in-Furness 95% 30% - 35% 74%
Basildon 71% 31% 8% 29% 59%
Basingstoke and Deane 93% 51% 25% 23% 58%
Bassetlaw 86% 40% 28% 44% 67%
Bath and North East Somerset 93% 45% 14% 33% 57%
Bedford 77% 39% 10% 25% 64%
Bexley 84% 22% 8% 51% 80%
Birmingham 83% 39% 23% 42% 62%
Blaby 90% 62% 15% 29% 39%
Blackburn with Darwen 89% 34% 54% 48% 78%
Blackpool 80% 40% 10% 35% 72%
Bolsover 94% 31% 31% 53% 84%
Bolton 86% 62% 35% 20% 33%
Boston 94% 53% 39% 29% 61%
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 80% 50% 14% 29% 50%
Bracknell Forest 91% 54% 6% 14% 39%
Bradford 82% 23% 14% 53% 81%
Braintree 81% 44% 27% 45% 58%
Breckland 85% 38% 33% 41% 83%
Brent 69% 29% 20% 56% 67%
Brentwood 81% 50% 8% 31% 62%
Brighton and Hove 89% 38% 21% 49% 60%
Bristol, City of 84% 60% 4% 4% 5%
Broadland 95% 38% 31% 32% 62%
Bromley 76% 38% 7% 34% 61%
Bromsgrove 87% 48% 13% 46% 45%
Broxbourne 84% 51% 17% 29% 38%
Broxtowe 91% 45% 14% 38% 63%
Buckinghamshire 89% 53% 24% 27% 49%
Burnley 84% 42% 13% 45% 73%
Bury 89% 50% 0% 41% 56%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Calderdale 77% 54% 24% 26% 50%
Cambridge 89% 47% 4% 29% 48%
Camden 92% 57% 3% 12% 12%
Cannock Chase 88% 46% 33% 42% 63%
Canterbury 91% 40% 18% 44% 56%
Carlisle 97% 24% 20% 64% 79%
Castle Point 75% 7% 17% 28% 79%
Central Bedfordshire 86% 40% 27% 32% 69%
Charnwood 90% 61% 0% 21% 35%
Chelmsford 80% 16% 26% 55% 82%
Cheltenham 95% 29% 53% 54% 68%
Cherwell 85% 55% 19% 34% 42%
Cheshire East 88% 71% 7% 15% 24%
Cheshire West and Chester 91% 83% 2% 6% 10%
Chesterfield 94% 61% 22% 18% 33%
Chichester 91% 48% 23% 19% 46%
Chorley 91% 46% 6% 39% 67%
City of London 99% 73% 5% 17% -
Colchester 85% 42% 33% 51% 62%
Copeland 99% 49% 0% 39% 76%
Cornwall 92% 44% 15% 36% 63%
Cotswold 94% 55% 37% 36% 35%
County Durham 95% 51% 10% 34% 50%
Coventry 84% 17% 42% 68% 86%
Craven 91% 41% 11% 44% 66%
Crawley 84% 80% 0% 15% 10%
Croydon 62% 39% 23% 34% 57%
Cumberland 96% 32% 52% 52% 72%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Dacorum 86% 31% 17% 29% 60%
Darlington 96% 32% 11% 55% 70%
Dartford 79% 37% 29% 33% 63%
Dartmoor National Park 85% 50% - 42% 45%
Derby 87% 54% 20% 19% 50%
Derbyshire Dales 83% 23% 38% 57% 84%
Doncaster 88% 47% 13% 32% 58%
Dorset 90% 43% 27% 35% 61%
Dover 93% 41% 25% 37% 68%
Dudley 82% 25% 50% 70% 73%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Ealing 80% 44% 11% 47% 65%
East Cambridgeshire 89% 60% 14% 27% 41%
East Devon 92% 46% 6% 20% 45%
East Hampshire 89% 55% 17% 28% 39%
East Hertfordshire 75% 37% 24% 27% 57%
East Lindsey 95% 44% 15% 43% 63%
East Riding of Yorkshire 93% 59% 16% 28% 50%
East Staffordshire 91% 53% 41% 36% 46%
East Suffolk 93% 42% 8% 30% 49%
Eastbourne 94% 29% 20% 48% 77%
Eastleigh 88% 43% 24% 35% 59%
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation 96% 54% 9% 29% 79%
Eden 93% 37% 63% 36% 47%
Elmbridge 79% 55% 28% 27% 36%
Enfield 73% 27% 9% 53% 72%
Epping Forest 67% 36% 18% 31% 48%
Epsom and Ewell 87% 41% 27% 22% 52%
Erewash 93% 25% 47% 47% 69%
Exeter 87% 35% 6% 27% 59%
Exmoor National Park 93% 58% - 20% 38%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Fareham 96% 26% 8% 50% 86%
Fenland 84% 52% 13% 17% 53%
Folkestone and Hythe 87% 37% 0% 41% 67%
Forest of Dean 85% 47% 28% 43% 58%
Fylde 92% 44% 24% 40% 67%
Gateshead 94% 75% 16% 31% 12%
Gedling 87% 55% 20% 14% 43%
Gloucester 83% 35% 17% 17% 28%
Gosport 96% 29% 40% 45% 71%
Gravesham 66% 18% 31% 63% 83%
Great Yarmouth 86% 65% 0% 26% 25%
Greenwich 71% 32% 11% 48% 70%
Guildford 80% 65% 14% 11% 28%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Hackney 77% 33% 0% 48% 55%
Halton 96% 40% 15% 19% 33%
Hambleton 89% 37% 13% 39% 74%
Hammersmith and Fulham 90% 54% 6% 41% 40%
Harborough 92% 26% 21% 34% 54%
Haringey 86% 45% 15% 37% 42%
Harlow 81% 28% 11% 57% 81%
Harrogate 84% 33% 24% 52% 76%
Harrow 69% 28% 15% 52% 63%
Hart 79% 12% 43% 51% 74%
Hartlepool 92% 42% 40% 42% 65%
Hastings 82% 56% 25% 36% 56%
Havant 95% 58% 0% 15% 43%
Havering 73% 39% 37% 49% 63%
Herefordshire, County of 92% 60% 14% 13% 25%
Hertsmere 87% 48% 4% 37% 56%
High Peak 83% 61% 10% 20% 37%
Hillingdon 77% 38% 6% 33% 61%
Hinckley and Bosworth 86% 45% 9% 29% 62%
Horsham 91% 55% 16% 25% 52%
Hounslow 70% 34% 18% 53% 70%
Huntingdonshire 86% 63% 15% 13% 40%
Hyndburn 81% 49% 33% 10% 25%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Ipswich 90% 32% 21% 52% 75%
Isle of Wight 86% 35% 25% 45% 78%
Isles of Scilly 93% 41% 0% 31% 55%
Islington 88% 42% 0% 56% 62%
Kensington and Chelsea 88% 36% 24% 58% 55%
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk 89% 67% 12% 17% 38%
Kingston upon Hull, City of 92% 36% 37% 48% 66%
Kingston upon Thames 75% 22% 10% 60% 80%
Kirklees 83% 64% 7% 18% 38%
Knowsley 97% 61% 7% 26% 47%
Lake District National Park 91% 35% 24% 46% 63%
Lambeth 69% 47% 36% 47% 56%
Lancaster 87% 38% 26% 44% 65%
Leeds 84% 40% 16% 40% 62%
Leicester 77% 44% 27% 39% 47%
Lewes 84% 29% 9% 35% 73%
Lewisham 77% 35% 20% 62% 64%
Lichfield 91% 46% 12% 32% 67%
Lincoln 92% 34% 29% 42% 50%
Liverpool 83% 54% 10% 21% 40%
London Legacy Devt Corporation 98% 60% 0% 17% 33%
Luton 77% 45% 15% 46% 55%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Maidstone 79% 26% 17% 59% 80%
Maldon 72% 29% 32% 44% 81%
Malvern Hills 88% 54% 16% 30% 43%
Manchester 91% 29% 27% 49% 67%
Mansfield 92% 44% 11% 48% 67%
Medway 87% 21% 31% 52% 88%
Melton 96% 74% 10% 14% 37%
Mendip 92% 57% 0% 20% 62%
Merton 85% 45% 0% 31% 55%
Mid Devon 94% 45% 29% 43% 72%
Mid Suffolk 88% 12% 17% 62% 85%
Mid Sussex 90% 36% 30% 44% 73%
Middlesbrough 76% 43% 13% 4% 68%
Middlesbrough Devt Corporation 88% 94% - 0% -
Milton Keynes 85% 35% 22% 41% 66%
Mole Valley 80% 36% 10% 42% 74%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
New Forest 90% 25% 39% 41% 82%
New Forest National Park 94% 60% 20% 25% 38%
Newark and Sherwood 80% 41% 39% 47% 64%
Newcastle upon Tyne 92% 36% 14% 33% 64%
Newcastle-under-Lyme 95% 44% 13% 36% 67%
Newham 77% 30% 3% 36% 52%
North Devon 94% 52% 17% 36% 59%
North East Derbyshire 88% 46% 12% 32% 67%
North East Lincolnshire 91% 54% 22% 33% 59%
North Hertfordshire 93% 42% 24% 44% 65%
North Kesteven 94% 36% 20% 37% 69%
North Lincolnshire 89% 61% 12% 18% 43%
North Norfolk 93% 55% 29% 34% 50%
North Northamptonshire 85% 45% 16% 35% 54%
North Somerset 91% 56% 11% 29% 48%
North Tyneside 95% 23% 28% 68% 81%
North Warwickshire 91% 51% 0% 26% 57%
North West Leicestershire 92% 44% 29% 29% 68%
North York Moors National Park 95% 31% 43% 57% 66%
North Yorkshire 91% 41% 21% 40% 64%
Northumberland 87% 60% 12% 18% 43%
Northumberland National Park 93% 39% 0% 53% 100%
Norwich 95% 38% 0% 54% 72%
Nottingham 95% 26% 7% 26% 49%
Nuneaton and Bedworth 90% 51% 0% 24% 65%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Oadby and Wigston 86% 43% 22% 45% 59%
Old Oak & Park Royal Devt Corporation 95% 40% 20% 50% -
Oldham 89% 45% 37% 36% 64%
Oxford 85% 48% 22% 40% 50%
Peak District National Park 86% 46% 20% 34% 46%
Pendle 85% 46% 36% 45% 52%
Peterborough 87% 48% 11% 40% 48%
Plymouth 92% 27% 26% 61% 78%
Portsmouth 90% 52% 13% 26% 45%
Preston 95% 35% 16% 57% 75%
Reading 92% 72% 15% 15% 22%
Redbridge 76% 21% 17% 54% 77%
Redcar and Cleveland 96% 28% 31% 54% 74%
Redditch 88% 34% 17% 41% 70%
Reigate and Banstead 85% 29% 14% 50% 71%
Ribble Valley 72% 31% 11% 40% 53%
Richmond upon Thames 85% 30% 14% 53% 69%
Richmondshire 94% 51% 7% 16% 24%
Rochdale 79% 50% 15% 20% 54%
Rochford 79% 32% 14% 33% 72%
Rossendale 76% 42% 0% 40% 55%
Rother 85% 52% 29% 31% 48%
Rotherham 88% 50% 16% 47% 56%
Rugby 90% 54% 9% 26% 45%
Runnymede 87% 43% 16% 29% 57%
Rushcliffe 90% 32% 36% 50% 65%
Rushmoor 92% 20% 18% 54% 85%
Rutland 90% 58% 17% 25% 51%
Ryedale 97% 45% 43% 38% 55%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Salford 88% 39% 11% 33% 45%
Sandwell 91% 21% 39% 60% 77%
Scarborough 90% 49% 8% 25% 27%
Sedgemoor 94% 45% 6% 42% 70%
Sefton 90% 40% 33% 37% 69%
Selby 84% 61% 8% 16% 45%
Sevenoaks 82% 26% 17% 54% 78%
Sheffield 88% 39% 25% 39% 51%
Shropshire 84% 27% 32% 54% 77%
Slough 83% 39% 23% 25% 47%
Solihull 94% 34% 10% 30% 52%
Somerset 94% 47% 14% 35% 61%
Somerset West and Taunton 89% 51% 19% 24% 44%
South Cambridgeshire 89% 47% 11% 25% 50%
South Derbyshire 96% 48% 3% 26% 48%
South Downs National Park 90% 58% 16% 30% 39%
South Gloucestershire 86% 44% 14% 35% 61%
South Hams 87% 44% 19% 41% 51%
South Holland 90% 29% 32% 60% 87%
South Kesteven 91% 61% 13% 23% 36%
South Lakeland 90% 38% 23% 37% 53%
South Norfolk 95% 44% 16% 30% 58%
South Oxfordshire 93% 34% 13% 45% 69%
South Ribble 94% 30% 33% 53% 73%
South Somerset 94% 44% 17% 27% 59%
South Staffordshire 85% 47% 26% 38% 58%
South Tyneside 96% 50% 11% 27% 50%
Southampton 89% 39% 0% 42% 68%
Southend-on-Sea 71% 39% 11% 45% 69%
Southwark 89% 26% 9% 61% 69%
Spelthorne 82% 26% 50% 55% 82%
St Albans 82% 65% 19% 5% 11%
St. Helens 91% 38% 7% 31% 81%
Stafford 84% 62% 11% 17% 18%
Staffordshire Moorlands 81% 58% 0% 30% 35%
Stevenage 95% 29% 24% 62% 74%
Stockport 93% 51% 3% 23% 41%
Stockton-on-Tees 96% 35% 39% 39% 58%
Stoke-on-Trent 83% 55% 14% 33% 54%
Stratford-on-Avon 89% 50% 19% 20% 49%
Stroud 87% 37% 17% 46% 68%
Sunderland 92% 33% 24% 54% 78%
Surrey Heath 75% 39% 11% 37% 63%
Sutton 74% 17% 10% 60% 89%
Swale 86% 47% 15% 29% 62%
Swindon 90% 61% 18% 13% 42%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Tameside 91% 36% 12% 44% 74%
Tamworth 94% 38% 18% 53% 72%
Tandridge 85% 71% 17% 13% 23%
Teignbridge 81% 52% 4% 13% 40%
Telford and Wrekin 95% 43% 39% 37% 67%
Tendring 86% 34% 35% 34% 73%
Test Valley 90% 34% 29% 42% 77%
Tewkesbury 91% 68% 3% 11% 26%
Thanet 89% 36% 19% 35% 66%
The Broads Authority 95% 31% 38% 56% 78%
Three Rivers 84% 20% 8% 59% 85%
Thurrock 82% 42% 33% 37% 67%
Tonbridge and Malling 87% 29% 43% 49% 74%
Torbay 74% 41% 20% 42% 50%
Torridge 91% 44% 13% 47% 65%
Tower Hamlets 81% 41% 3% 43% 60%
Trafford 88% 72% 20% 20% 15%
Tunbridge Wells 94% 19% 66% 66% 87%
Uttlesford 75% 44% 4% 36% 59%
Vale of White Horse 93% 45% 23% 38% 63%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
Wakefield 92% 62% 10% 26% 40%
Walsall 82% 57% 6% 7% 38%
Waltham Forest 75% 41% 0% 40% 61%
Wandsworth 89% 33% 12% 43% 50%
Warrington 87% 80% 25% 7% 2%
Warwick 89% 46% 3% 30% 64%
Watford 78% 13% 22% 74% 92%
Waverley 87% 76% 13% 11% 25%
Wealden 85% 47% 20% 35% 60%
Welwyn Hatfield 80% 44% 9% 35% 61%
West Berkshire 87% 48% 24% 22% 49%
West Devon 82% 56% 20% 24% 48%
West Lancashire 84% 59% 11% 19% 28%
West Lindsey 90% 39% 39% 51% 77%
West Northamptonshire 91% 61% 8% 20% 29%
West Oxfordshire 89% 33% 35% 43% 77%
West Suffolk 93% 56% 17% 19% 47%
Westminster 89% 22% 0% 47% 42%
Westmorland and Furness 95% 42% 36% 38% 55%
Wigan 91% 55% 20% 24% 51%
Wiltshire 93% 49% 23% 33% 40%
Winchester 93% 73% 13% 15% 27%
Windsor and Maidenhead 77% 45% 18% 25% 51%
Wirral 87% 37% 15% 21% 32%
Woking 82% 52% 40% 36% 33%
Wokingham 92% 29% 25% 50% 79%
Wolverhampton 92% 36% 61% 55% 49%
Worcester 89% 46% 0% 37% 61%
Worthing 90% 52% 17% 40% 43%
Wychavon 92% 58% 21% 19% 40%
Wyre 85% 59% 8% 10% 47%
Wyre Forest 89% 34% 25% 38% 70%
Local Planning Authority Percentage of decisions granted % with an Extension of Time Major devment % decided within 13wks Non-major devt % decided within 8 wks Householder devt % decided within 8 wks
York 88% 47% 14% 31% 51%
Yorkshire Dales National Park 94% 46% 50% 36% 68%

 

 

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