Planning performance statistics: 2018-2019 midyear

Applications for Major Developments (excludes legacy cases)

There were 112 major development applications subject to average time calculations in the first six months of 2018/19, the same as the equivalent period in the previous year. The average decision time for these 112 major development applications was 34.6 weeks, 1.6 weeks quicker than the 36.2 weeks for the equivalent period in the previous year.

The average decision time for 54 major development applications concluded in quarter one was 31.7 weeks. In quarter two 58 major development applications had an average decision time of 37.3 weeks.

Chart 2: Applications for Major Developments (excluding legacy cases)

The average decision time figures of 31.7 and 37.3 weeks for quarters one and two have been influenced by a number of lengthier decision times, including 18 decision times of longer than a year – five in quarter one and 13 in quarter two. Three of the five in quarter one and three of the 13 in quarter two had decision times of longer than two years. The longest decision time in quarter one was 4.5 years.

Further information on the distribution of decision times for major development applications is given in Annex A.

In addition, a number of applications were concluded that were subject to separate processing agreements. These are not included in average decision time calculations. In quarter one of 2018/19 there were 26 major development applications with processing agreements, 61.5% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities. In quarter two there were 35, 77.1% meeting the agreed timescales.

In quarter one major applications with processing agreements accounted for almost a third (26 of 80) of all the decisions made for major developments. In quarter two this increased to 38%, 35 of 93 major applications.

There were also two Major Development pre 3rd August 2009 legacy cases concluded. Further details about legacy cases can be seen in Section 10.