Planning performance statistics: annual report 2018-2019

Key Findings

In 2018/19 Planning Authorities decided 27,373 local planning applications and 325 major planning applications, across Scotland^*.

This includes applications with processing agreements where the developer and local authority agree on timescales for decisions.

Most Planning applications were approved.

In 2018/19 93.7% of all applications with decisions were approved.

* Classification between local and major depends on the development type. For example, housing is classed as major when the application is for 50 or more dwellings or for sites that exceed two hectares, electricity generation is classed as major when the capacity of the generating station is or exceeds 20 megawatts.

Annual Trends for Local and Major Developments

Average decision time for local developments matches the previous year, which was the quickest annual decision time since 2012/13.

The average decision time for local developments was 9.0 weeks in 2018/19, equal to last year and the quickest since the start of this data collection in 2012/13.

Applications with processing agreements are not included in the calculation of decision times. The use of processing agreements has increased substantially each year since 2014/15 with 8% of all local developments in 2018/19 having processing agreements in place.

Falls in average decision time for major developments since 2016/17.

In 2018/19 the average decision time for major development applications was 32.5 weeks, the quickest since 2015/2016.

Applications with processing agreements are not included in the calculation of decision times. The use of processing agreements has increased substantially each year since 2014/15 with 36% of all major developments in 2018/19 having processing agreements in place.

Number of planning applications continues to fall.

• The number of local and major planning applications with decisions has decreased each year since 2013/14.
• There were 518 fewer local development applications in 2018/19 than in 2017/18.
• There were six fewer major development applications in 2018/19 than in 2017/18.

Planning Applications by Development Type

More than a third of planning applications were made by householders

In 2018/19, householders making changes to their properties accounted for more than a third of planning applications (13,071 of 35,396 or 37% of all applications).

Local and major housing developments was the third largest group accounting for 5,467 applications (15% of all applications).

Local development average decision times were quickest for householder applications.

In 2018/19 the average decision time for householders making changes to their properties was 7.2 weeks.

The longest average decision times were for applications for mineral developments, 17.4 weeks.

Major development average decision times were quickest for business and industry applications.

In 2018/19 the quickest average decision time, for business and industry applications, was 23.7 weeks.

The longest decision times were for applications for mineral developments, 41.9 weeks.

Planning Applications for Housing Developments

Highland had most planning applications for local housing developments

In 2018-19 almost half (48%) of decisions on local housing applications were made by five local authorities.

Highland made the most, 916 (17% of the Scotland total). This was followed by Aberdeenshire (672), Perth and Kinross (341), Argyll and Bute (339), and South Lanarkshire (270).

*includes applications with processing agreements

Glasgow City had most planning applications for major housing developments

In 2018-19 almost half (48%) of decisions on major housing applications were made by six local authorities.

Glasgow City made the most, 19 (12% of the Scotland total). This was followed by Highland (13), Aberdeenshire (12), North Lanarkshire (11), South Lanarkshire (11) and City of Edinburgh (10).

*includes applications with processing agreements