Planning Applications Statistics 2023/2024: Annual and Quarterly (October 2023 to March 2024) Official Statistics

Annex A – Yearend 2023/24 Key Findings

1. Local Developments

1.1. All Local Developments

Chart 16: Quarterly Applications for Local Developments

There were 9,248 decisions on local developments in the last two quarters of 2023/24. This was lower than the same period last year (10,187). The average decision time for applications not subject to processing agreements remained higher than pre-COVID Pandemic times at 11.3 weeks in Q3 and 12.9 weeks in Q4.

In quarter three there were 799 local development applications with processing agreements, with 71.8% meeting agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 807 with three-quarters (76.5%) meeting the agreed timescales. Some authorities continued to use more processing agreements for local applications than had been used in the past.

1.2. Local Housing Developments

There were 1,364 local housing developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the last two quarters of 2023/24. This was a lower than in the same period last year. The average decision time was higher than the same period last year at 19.9 weeks in Q3 and 23.4 weeks in Q4. The percentage of decisions made in less than two months was 43.2% in Q3 and fell to 38.2% in Q4.

In Q3, 66.1% of applications with processing agreements met the agreed timescale, rising to 71.5% in Q4.

2. Applications for Major Developments

2.1. All Major Developments

Chart 17: Yearend: All major developments

There were 58 decisions on major developments in the last two quarters of 2023/24. The average decision times for the 28 applications not subject to processing agreements was lower than in the same period last year at
34.2 weeks in Q3. The average decision time for the 35 applications not subject to processing agreements was lower than the same quarter last year at Q4 39.0 weeks.

In quarter three there were 30 major development applications with processing agreements over half (60.0%) met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter four there were 23 with 56.5% meeting the agreed timescales.

2.2. Major Housing Developments

There were 21 major housing developments not subject to processing agreements decided during the last two quarters of 2023/24. This was only slightly lower than the same period last year. The average (mean) decision times was 78.4 weeks in Q3 (this is high because just one application took 238 weeks) and 49.9 weeks in Q4. Means are affected by very long decision times. However the middle or median value is not affected by high values and the median for Q3 was 58.0 weeks. In Q3 there were 11 applications major housing applications with processing agreements and timescales were met for 36.4%. In Q4 there were 4 major housing applications with processing agreements and timescales were met for 50.0%.