Planning performance statistics: 2018-2019 yearend

Applications for Major Developments (excludes legacy cases and applications with processing agreements)

There were 97 major development applications subject to average time calculations in the last six months of 2018/19, 29 fewer than in the same period in the previous year. The average decision time was 29.8 weeks, 1.4 weeks quicker than the 31.2 weeks for the same period in the previous year.

The average decision time for 58 major development applications concluded in quarter three was 26.5 weeks, quicker than any previous quarter. In quarter four 39 major development applications had an average decision time of 34.8 weeks.

Chart 2: Applications for Major Developments (excluding legacy cases and applications with processing agreements)

The average decision time figures have been influenced by a number of lengthier decision times. There were 12 decision times of longer than a year – seven in quarter three and five in quarter four. The longest decision time in quarter three was was 1.5 years. Two decisions in quarter four took more than two years, the longest taking 2.8 years. Further information on the distribution of decision times for major development applications is given in Annex A.

In addition, a number of applications subject to processing agreements were concluded: 28 in quarter three (78.6% of these applications met agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local authorities) and 26 in quarter four (73.1% meeting the agreed timescales). These are not included in average decision time calculations.

In quarter three major applications with processing agreements accounted for almost a third (28 of 86) of all the decisions made for major developments. In quarter four this increased to 40%, 26 of 65 major applications.

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