Official Processing Times

Reference · Service times

England’s planning application decision periods by development type

Local planning authorities in England ordinarily have eight weeks to determine an ordinary valid planning application and 13 weeks for major development. Technical details consent and public service infrastructure have ten-week periods, while applications subject to environmental impact assessment have a 16-week period.

Sources checked

Official Processing Times Editorial Team

Identify the statutory clock before checking delay optionsEngland planning decision periods and planning guarantee benchmarks
  1. 01
    Check validation

    Start with the authority’s receipt of a valid application. Source 1

  2. 02
    Identify the application category

    Check the statutory period for ordinary, technical, public-service, major or assessment cases. Source 1

  3. 03
    Read any written agreement

    A planning performance agreement or agreed extension can set a separate timetable. Source 1

  4. 04
    Check delay options

    Appeal rights and any fee refund depend on the statutory or agreed period and other conditions. Source 1

The applicable period depends on the application category. A written extension can set a separate date.

Source 1

A valid application starts the statutory period

The government’s planning practice guidance measures the statutory decision period after receipt of a valid application. Check whether the local planning authority has identified missing information and which category it has recorded. The tables list different periods for different types of development. Source 1

Environmental assessment has its own time limit

The guidance lists a 16-week limit where an application is subject to environmental impact assessment. It separately lists 13 weeks for major development and ten weeks for technical details consent and public service infrastructure development. Identify the applicable rule before comparing dates. Source 1

A written extension can change the expected decision date

The local authority and applicant can agree a different timetable in writing. The guidance also permits a written variation to a planning performance agreement or existing extension. Keep the date in the latest written agreement with the original validation date. Source 1

The planning guarantee has separate effects from the statutory period

The policy benchmarks are 26 weeks for major and 16 weeks for non-major applications without an agreed extension. A valid application that remains undecided after its statutory or agreed period can give the applicant an appeal right. The guidance describes a possible fee refund at the guarantee point if the applicant has not appealed and no longer period was agreed. Source 1

Sources

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