High Court rules planning applications are legally ‘made’ on the day they’re first received
The High Court has confirmed that a planning application is legally “made” on the day the local authority first receives the forms and fee, even if further documents are demanded and supplied later. The case arose after Westchurch Homes Ltd applied, on 11 January 2023, for permission to build 133 homes in Bolton.
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Charities propose key amendments to strengthen environmental safeguards in new Planning Bill
Last week, The Guardian reported that the newly proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been heavily criticised by a coalition of 32 charities – including The Wildlife Trust – for “throwing environmental protections to the wind.”
The group described the legislation as “one-sided” and warned it could allow developers to sidestep vital environmental safeguards, leaving key habitats exposed to unsustainable development.
Now, ahead of the Bill’s committee stage, The Wildlife Trust has backed a series of targeted amendments, which aim to address these concerns:
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March 2025 was a record-breaking month for planning applications, marking the highest volume since April 2021. A huge 64,210 applications were submitted. On March 31 we processed more applications than we ever have on a single day.
Overall, submissions surged by 29% compared to February 2025. This represents a staggering 29% increase from March 2024, a stark contrast to the 19% decline recorded between March 2023 and March 2024.
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February saw a strong start to the year for planning applications, with a noticeable uptick across most regions and application types. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key trends.
Overall Growth in Applications
A total of 49,745 applications were submitted in February 2025 – a 9% rise from January and a 3% increase compared to February 2024. This equates to over 1,500 more applications year-on-year.
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Gweler yr erthygl isod yn y Gymraeg
We’re happy to announce that from Spring 2025, Planning Portal will begin offering planning application services across Wales, following the closure of Planning Applications Wales.
The launch of Planning Portal in Wales ensures a seamless continuation of service for applicants while introducing the full suite of Planning Portal features and benefits.
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From 31 March 2025, the cost of submitting a planning application via Planning Portal will increase.
This reflects two key factors:
- The UK Government’s increase to statutory planning fees from 1 April 2025, which raises costs across the sector, for all parties. Find out more in our blog post ‘Updates to Planning Application Fees in England’.
- Significant increases in the cost of processing planning applications, including security, payment handling and associated fees, platform maintenance, and support services.
Changes take effect from 1 April 2025. We have published a ‘forthcoming’ version of our fee schedule and placed key information in this blog post and on the website to help users understand and navigate the imminent updates with ease. Read on for more information…
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Market Insight December 2024
Planning application figures declined in 2024 compared to 2023, as anticipated. The largest real decrease was seen in householder planning permission, with 14,653 fewer applications, followed by full planning permission, which dropped by 9,333 applications. Larger Home Extensions saw a modest 3% decline overall, although December bucked the trend with a 3% increase compared to December 2023.
Despite the yearly downturn, the latter part of 2024, including December, showed relatively strong performance. This prompts intriguing questions about how the planning application landscape will evolve in 2025, particularly as changes to application fees and shifting development targets and priorities begin to take effect.
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Market Insights – November 2024
As expected, application figures are still down compared to last year, both for the month of November and for the year to date. As the lowest-performing November since before 2020, the data reflects broader challenges in the sector, but it also uncovers fascinating shifts in how existing spaces are being repurposed. While most application types are in decline, an uptick in conversions to dwellinghouses hints at changing priorities and potential opportunities amidst uncertainty.
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October Sees Seasonal Growth Despite Annual Decline
October 2024 saw a boost in planning activity, aligning with the seasonal growth typically observed at this time of year. This increase also represents a slight uplift compared to October 2023, indicating some stability amid a challenging year for the sector. While cumulative figures for 2024 continue to lag behind where we were on submissions at the same point last year, regional variations highlight pockets of resilience, with the East Midlands and London showing encouraging year-on-year growth.
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