After months of planning data that’s felt more doomscroll than boomtown, we’ve finally got a bit of good news.
The latest statistical release from MHCLG is out, and for the first time in a long while, there’s been an uptick in planning applications.
What's changed?
This is the first official dataset covering the period after the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was revised in December 2024, and while one quarter doesn’t make a trend, the early signs are cautiously optimistic.
Here’s what we know:
- Applications are up: Between January and March 2025, planning applications to district-level authorities rose 6% compared to the same period last year.
- Decisions are down: Despite more applications, the number of decisions issued by planning authorities fell 10% over the same period.
- Permissions granted dipped, but approval rates rose: The raw number of permissions granted dropped by 9%, but that still represents 87% of decisions granted - a 2% increase in the approval rate year-on-year.
So what does it mean?
More applications going in, but fewer decisions being made. It’s a mixed bag, but one that might just signal a change in momentum.
We’re hearing anecdotally that the increase in submissions has continued into Q2, which, if borne out in future data releases, would be a welcome shift in what’s been a sluggish planning landscape.
We’re not calling it a comeback just yet… but we might be starting to turn a corner.
And frankly, we’ll take that!
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