The Government has released it’s monthly update on planning application statistics.  They can be seen here, and a summary of the latest UK planning application statistics.

UK Planning Applications and Decisions: Key Data (April-June 2025)

• Applications Received: There were 80,400 applications for planning permission, a 5% decrease compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
• Decisions Made: Authorities decided on 80,800 applications, a slight 1% decrease year-on-year.
• Approvals: Planning permissions were granted for 70,800 applications, a 1% increase from the same quarter in 2024. The overall approval rate was 88%.
• Decision Speed: 91% of major applications were decided within the statutory 13-week period or an agreed-upon timeframe.

New Homes and Residential Development

• New Home Approvals: In the first quarter of 2025 (Q1 2025), there were only 39,170 new home approvals, which is a 55% drop from the previous quarter and a 32% decrease from a year ago.
• Annual Approvals: The number of annual rolling approvals for new homes sits at 225,067, the lowest since 2012. This poses a significant challenge to the government’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2029.

Trends and Insights

• The national decline in planning applications and new home approvals suggests a slowdown in future development-led housing supply.
• The data indicates a high approval rate for applications that are submitted, but processing times for major developments can still vary.
• The government’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill aims to speed up the delivery of projects and may accelerate timelines in the future.