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

Data and Methodology

Details for all categories of development are available in the tables in the supporting spreadsheet file for this publication. All files for the publication can be found on our web page. View Scottish Government planning statistics webpage.

Information on quality assurance, revisions policy, uses of the data and historic publications can also be found on our web page. View the Scottish Government planning statistics web page.

Uses of the Statistics

The statistics allow Scottish Government and the planning authorities to monitor the numbers of planning applications and time taken to decide them. More uses are listed on our web pages. View Scottish Government planning statistics web page.

Small Numbers of Major Applications

Typically there are only a small number of decisions made for major developments each quarter and therefore average decision times are likely to vary greatly.

Calculation of Decision Times

The average decision time in weeks is calculated in days from the date of validation (the date when the final piece of information for an application is received)to the date the decision is issued. The average weeks are then calculated by dividing the number of days by seven. Some planning authorities use processing agreements where the developer and the planning authority agree on timescales for decisions. These are not included in average decision times.