Planning Market Insight Report: 77,000+ submissions in March

Does the disparity between Planning Portal and MHCLG’s statistics highlight the increasing pressure local authorities are under?

On 25 March 2021, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) published their latest statistics regarding planning application submissions between October and December 2020. Their data showed that planning authorities in England received 111,700 applications for planning permission, up 11 percent on the corresponding quarter of 2019. While the trends with this data mimic the data patterns the Planning Portal have been seeing over the last few months, the actual numbers differ greatly.   

MHCLG Planning Statistical release 

Planning Portal reported that throughout this period, there were more than 171,000 planning applications submitted to local authorities throughout England and Wales. With over a 30% difference in these figures, Planning Portal have taken the opportunity to investigate further in this month’s report.

Also included in the latest edition, we feature Householder ‘common projects’. There has been an increased number of this application type submitted. March 2021 saw 27,777 householder applications submitted which is the largest ever on record, 82 per cent more than the same month last year. Elsewhere, thisisMoney.co.uk have reported on the number of independent home improvement firms that have seen business boom over the last year, citing working from home renovations and stamp duty holidays as the reason. 

To support this further, we have included a contribution from Lisa Young, Category Director from Jewson, who explains the impact the increased number of planning applications has had on the construction industry and supply chain. As always, the report also covers our regular insight with a deeper look at application fees, trends in application types and national and regional trends. 

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The above article was provided to us by the Planning Portal.