The amount of planning applications being made in England – as well as those granted – has increased during the first quarter of 2017, official figures reveal.
Between the months of January 2017 and March 2017 district level planning authorities in England received 123,300 applications for planning permission, an increase by 3% compared to the same three months in 2016.
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Furthermore, the authorities also granted 89,500 decisions, up by 4% from the same quarter last year. About 87% of decision were agreed within 13 weeks or the set timeframe, an increase from the 83% one year prior.
A closer look at the date shows that 12,300 residential applications have been granted, an increase by 9% year-on-year. Out of these 1,700 were major developments and 10,600 minor developments, an increase in comparison to Q1 2016 by 17% and 8% respectively.
A total of 2,600 commercial development applications were granted, a drop by 2% on the year prior.
In the year to March 2017, district level planning authorities granted a total of 386,000 decisions, an increase by 4% from the year prior (ending March 2016). They granted 50,100 residential development decisions, out of which 6,600 were for major developments and 43,500 for minor development, an increase by 12% and 6% respectively.
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Overall, the decision making process varied quite significantly between local planning authorities; from 0 to 100% for major developments and 8 to 100% for minor developments and 29 to 100% for other developments.
And finally, the figures also show that the authorities granted 90% of household applications and decided 92% within eight weeks or the agreed time.
