How long does it take to get planning permission?

How long does it take to get planning permission?

The claim: A standard housing development takes an average of five years to go through the planning system. Verdict: Developments of more than 1,000 dwellings may take that long, but those are very large. The vast majority of developments are much smaller and do not take that long.

Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, wrote an article in the Sunday Telegraph talking about how he wants to change the planning system in England.

In the article, he wrote: "Under the current system, it takes an average of five years for a standard housing development to go through the planning system - before a spade is even in the ground."

The Reality Check team asked his department where this figure came from and was pointed towards a chart in the Letwin Review from 2018, which looked at why it takes so long to complete large housing projects. Follow the link to find out more


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