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Bristol, City of

South West · E06000023 · 149 quarters held (1989 Q2 – 2026 Q2)

Decisions
2,042
2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2
Refusal rate
13.5%
higher than 63% of authorities
Majors in time
75.0%
threshold 60%
Minors in time
70.2%
threshold 70%
Householder in time
91.3%
no formal threshold
Delegated
99.4%
decisions not to committee
Appellant win rate
35.7%
259 allowed of 725 decided
Decisions overturned
2.2%
quality threshold 10%

Refusal rate trend — last 40 quarters

2016 Q3 → 2026 Q2 · peak 23.7%

Official statistics — is development moving through the system?

MHCLG quarterly planning returns (PS1/PS2), last 4 quarters 2025 Q3 to 2026 Q2, and the government's latest Housing Delivery Test. These are the authority's own statutory returns, not our scrape.

Applications received
2,162
in the window
Applications decided
2,042
in the window
Approval rate
86.5%
1,766 granted, 276 refused · national median refusal 11.6%
Refusal rate rank 46 of 63 unitary authorities (1 = fewest refusals) · peer median 10.6%
Decided within time
85.1%
rank 235 of 307 reporting authorities · national median 91.4%
Rank 46 of 63 unitary authorities · peer median 90.6%

Peer ranks compare only unitary authorities with more than 50 decisions in the window, the same floor as the national rank. A rank among peers is the fairer read: types of authority carry very different caseloads.

Performance by development type
TypeDecisionsApprovedIn time
Major6191.8%75.0%
Minor61981.6%70.2%
Other1,36288.5%—
of which householder85089.4%91.3%
"In time" = within the statutory period or an agreed extension, excluding prior approvals. "Other" covers everything that is neither major nor minor; householder figures are measured against the 8-week period.
Applications through the system
Last 8 quarters held
03226442024 Q3: 507 received2024 Q3: 641 decided2024 Q32024 Q4: 497 received2024 Q4: 561 decided2025 Q1: 644 received2025 Q1: 529 decided2025 Q2: 536 received2025 Q2: 608 decided2025 Q3: 518 received2025 Q3: 491 decided2025 Q4: 494 received2025 Q4: 484 decided2026 Q1: 587 received2026 Q1: 515 decided2026 Q2: 563 received2026 Q2: 552 decided2026 Q2
▬ received   ▬ decided
Housing Delivery Test
HDT 2025 measurement, homes delivered against requirement over 2022/23 to 2024/25
41%
Presumption

Delivery below 75%: the NPPF presumption in favour of sustainable development applies to housing applications here. A material point for any housing proposal.

Where these figures come from. Each dataset below is the publisher's own file, loaded unchanged; rows are matched to this authority by its ONS code (E06000023). Missing values are shown as "—" and are never estimated or filled from another period.
DatasetPublisherCovers this authorityLoadedOfficial source
Planning application decisions (PS2)MHCLG1989 Q2 to 2026 Q2 (149 quarters)18 Oct 2026 · 68,583 rows nationallyLive tables
Planning application flow (PS1)MHCLG1989 Q2 to 2026 Q2 (149 quarters)18 Oct 2026 · 42,861 rows nationallyLive tables
Housing Delivery Test 2025MHCLG2022/23 to 2024/2518 Aug 2026Measurement
Open Government Licence v3.0. The MHCLG tables are reloaded every Sunday; the loaded date is the last successful run.

Quarterly history

QuarterDecisions GrantedRefused Refusal %Majors in time Minors in timeReceived
2026 Q2 552 472 80 14.5% 66.7% 68.6% 563
2026 Q1 515 443 72 14.0% 50.0% 69.3% 587
2025 Q4 484 430 54 11.2% 100.0% 73.6% 494
2025 Q3 491 421 70 14.3% 80.0% 69.9% 518
2025 Q2 608 511 97 16.0% 100.0% 80.6% 536
2025 Q1 529 455 74 14.0% 50.0% 67.6% 644
2024 Q4 561 466 95 16.9% 100.0% 65.6% 497
2024 Q3 641 537 104 16.2% 75.0% 51.1% 507
2024 Q2 742 597 145 19.5% 100.0% 37.1% 540
2024 Q1 818 656 162 19.8% 0.0% 14.0% 526
2023 Q4 592 477 115 19.4% 66.7% 20.2% 525
2023 Q3 304 238 66 21.7% 0.0% 7.7% 457
2023 Q2 292 245 47 16.1% — 10.3% 570
2023 Q1 360 323 37 10.3% 100.0% 9.5% 629
2022 Q4 393 331 62 15.8% — 14.0% 657
2022 Q3 667 585 82 12.3% 100.0% 16.7% 651
2022 Q2 584 532 52 8.9% 100.0% 6.8% 827
2022 Q1 682 619 63 9.2% 100.0% 37.5% 740
2021 Q4 712 633 79 11.1% 75.0% 27.6% 751
2021 Q3 708 631 77 10.9% 100.0% 29.4% 771
2021 Q2 690 605 85 12.3% 66.7% 55.8% 903
2021 Q1 701 626 75 10.7% 100.0% 67.9% 860
2020 Q4 650 574 76 11.7% 100.0% 72.6% 784
2020 Q3 631 553 78 12.4% 83.3% 71.4% 769
2020 Q2 584 509 75 12.8% — 83.3% 591
2020 Q1 600 517 83 13.8% — 62.5% 698
2019 Q4 648 553 95 14.7% 100.0% 57.9% 686
2019 Q3 709 631 78 11.0% 100.0% 70.9% 710
2019 Q2 703 619 84 11.9% 66.7% 67.9% 824
2019 Q1 594 519 75 12.6% 77.8% 67.9% 765
2018 Q4 654 575 79 12.1% 66.7% 77.9% 718
2018 Q3 683 573 110 16.1% 66.7% 66.9% 764
2018 Q2 793 605 188 23.7% 81.8% 71.4% 834
2018 Q1 691 559 132 19.1% 60.0% 68.1% 813
2017 Q4 666 552 114 17.1% 80.0% 74.5% 788
2017 Q3 768 640 128 16.7% 77.8% 68.0% 837
2017 Q2 807 684 123 15.2% 77.8% 75.8% 931
2017 Q1 705 591 114 16.2% 75.0% 73.1% 867
2016 Q4 781 672 109 14.0% 64.3% 68.2% 825
2016 Q3 880 787 93 10.6% 70.0% 72.4% 866
2016 Q2 767 692 75 9.8% 40.0% 83.0% 935
2016 Q1 688 592 96 14.0% 87.5% 81.9% 894
2015 Q4 660 582 78 11.8% 83.3% 77.5% 718
2015 Q3 728 633 95 13.0% 100.0% 82.3% 768
2015 Q2 717 655 62 8.6% 63.6% 75.8% 812
2015 Q1 638 575 63 9.9% 66.7% 58.5% 746
2014 Q4 702 602 100 14.2% 33.3% 60.2% 693
2014 Q3 709 594 115 16.2% 64.3% 66.7% 749
2014 Q2 680 587 93 13.7% 50.0% 68.5% 789
2014 Q1 634 506 85 13.4% 58.8% 53.1% 794
2013 Q4 685 530 124 18.1% 77.8% 64.3% 706
2013 Q3 716 563 95 13.3% 72.2% 71.5% 799
2013 Q2 773 612 106 13.7% 69.6% 73.7% 824
2013 Q1 589 464 86 14.6% 64.0% 81.4% 757
2012 Q4 783 637 100 12.8% 50.0% 66.8% 726
2012 Q3 704 537 117 16.6% 26.7% 75.3% 716
2012 Q2 680 523 126 18.5% 65.0% 81.7% 812
2012 Q1 664 526 99 14.9% 65.4% 77.7% 726
2011 Q4 684 523 117 17.1% 50.0% 81.5% 749
2011 Q3 762 560 146 19.2% 68.8% 79.2% 737
2011 Q2 670 516 110 16.4% 57.9% 84.5% 832
2011 Q1 580 468 90 15.5% 55.6% 85.6% 709
2010 Q4 741 580 124 16.7% 72.2% 81.3% 722
2010 Q3 803 581 186 23.2% 54.5% 80.7% 827
2010 Q2 755 614 100 13.2% 64.5% 81.6% 846
2010 Q1 633 511 91 14.4% 77.3% 84.5% 778
2009 Q4 684 553 106 15.5% 81.5% 79.1% 717
2009 Q3 785 624 126 16.1% 75.8% 86.5% 793
2009 Q2 750 583 138 18.4% 48.1% 79.2% 812
2009 Q1 624 466 140 22.4% 53.8% 91.0% 719
2008 Q4 783 616 150 19.2% 68.1% 78.7% 712
2008 Q3 934 729 187 20.0% 76.7% 75.6% 885
2008 Q2 1,089 820 243 22.3% 69.2% 71.0% 1,033
2008 Q1 875 636 217 24.8% 75.4% 77.2% 1,184
2007 Q4 996 766 203 20.4% 50.0% 71.5% 1,094
2007 Q3 1,027 830 176 17.1% 60.0% 73.0% 1,092
2007 Q2 1,031 842 175 17.0% 53.3% 70.0% 1,137
2007 Q1 931 756 162 17.4% 72.6% 76.0% 1,144
2006 Q4 811 651 136 16.8% 67.3% 76.9% 999
2006 Q3 1,048 823 187 17.8% 58.0% 80.0% 1,003
2006 Q2 931 732 177 19.0% 59.6% 77.8% 1,072
2006 Q1 846 664 161 19.0% 71.7% 74.3% 1,010
2005 Q4 849 680 149 17.6% 72.7% 70.0% 887
2005 Q3 859 689 144 16.8% 47.4% 69.0% 943
2005 Q2 882 711 157 17.8% 66.7% 70.4% 910
2005 Q1 759 613 134 17.7% 38.5% 63.3% 975
2004 Q4 834 683 139 16.7% 60.6% 67.5% 834
2004 Q3 926 750 149 16.1% 56.7% 66.8% 1,019
2004 Q2 904 725 147 16.3% 52.8% 70.2% 1,024
2004 Q1 802 668 100 12.5% 48.4% 65.0% 982
2003 Q4 751 613 109 14.5% 55.2% 62.4% 861
2003 Q3 855 710 119 13.9% 45.2% 66.5% 920
2003 Q2 813 699 94 11.6% 57.6% 72.5% 1,002
2003 Q1 689 578 84 12.2% 55.6% 68.2% 800
2002 Q4 767 644 99 12.9% 47.5% 71.4% 819
2002 Q3 841 717 105 12.5% 31.3% 65.6% 881
2002 Q2 829 711 93 11.2% 32.1% 71.6% 844
2002 Q1 708 607 88 12.4% 18.2% 64.0% 907
2001 Q4 772 638 113 14.6% 22.5% 64.4% 728
2001 Q3 766 652 91 11.9% 23.5% 66.1% 878
2001 Q2 710 615 61 8.6% 17.4% 61.9% 838
2001 Q1 635 540 70 11.0% 33.3% 60.4% 738
2000 Q4 661 584 58 8.8% 18.2% 60.3% 642
2000 Q3 727 626 67 9.2% 38.9% 68.3% 799
2000 Q2 740 641 68 9.2% 50.0% 71.4% 781
2000 Q1 568 476 61 10.7% 15.8% 63.0% 780
1999 Q4 653 563 65 10.0% 42.3% 69.6% 596
1999 Q3 683 586 78 11.4% 50.0% 74.3% 755
1999 Q2 720 599 101 14.0% 35.3% 72.3% 749
1999 Q1 589 495 69 11.7% 39.1% 66.7% 729
1998 Q4 643 477 124 19.3% 34.8% 51.6% 660
1998 Q3 576 441 111 19.3% 30.0% 52.2% 676
1998 Q2 553 450 85 15.4% 23.1% 51.1% 654
1998 Q1 556 436 96 17.3% 31.8% 45.1% 588
1997 Q4 548 406 106 19.3% 35.0% 52.1% 572
1997 Q3 639 533 84 13.1% 28.6% 49.7% 716
1997 Q2 607 510 74 12.2% 22.2% 45.7% 648
1997 Q1 448 382 49 10.9% 37.5% 34.8% 562
1996 Q4 537 431 77 14.3% 40.0% 46.1% 604
1996 Q3 500 431 38 7.6% 41.2% 47.6% 596
1996 Q2 502 431 44 8.8% 42.9% 51.9% 592
1996 Q1 430 384 46 10.7% 10.5% 55.0% —
1995 Q4 572 506 66 11.5% 79.5% 52.3% —
1995 Q3 557 515 42 7.5% 45.5% 50.8% —
1995 Q2 476 430 46 9.7% 58.3% 47.1% —
1995 Q1 517 471 46 8.9% 47.4% 34.3% —
1994 Q4 464 421 43 9.3% 41.2% 42.4% —
1994 Q3 530 481 49 9.2% 52.4% 42.1% —
1994 Q2 544 487 57 10.5% 41.2% 29.0% —
1994 Q1 446 399 47 10.5% 55.6% 25.2% —
1993 Q4 516 457 59 11.4% 61.5% 40.5% —
1993 Q3 541 500 41 7.6% 85.0% 50.9% —
1993 Q2 594 534 60 10.1% 31.3% 52.4% —
1993 Q1 467 407 60 12.8% 43.5% 39.1% —
1992 Q4 505 440 65 12.9% 50.0% 37.6% —
1992 Q3 634 566 68 10.7% 18.8% 35.4% —
1992 Q2 545 468 77 14.1% 27.3% 31.4% —
1992 Q1 491 383 108 22.0% 50.0% 30.4% —
1991 Q4 586 488 98 16.7% 47.8% 34.8% —
1991 Q3 611 513 98 16.0% 57.1% 37.0% —
1991 Q2 594 472 122 20.5% 37.0% 29.7% —
1991 Q1 473 387 86 18.2% 41.2% 34.2% —
1990 Q4 662 529 133 20.1% 41.9% 29.2% —
1990 Q3 695 580 115 16.5% 40.9% 33.8% —
1990 Q2 571 471 100 17.5% 59.1% 30.1% —
1990 Q1 668 547 121 18.1% 41.9% 36.2% —
1989 Q4 731 580 151 20.7% 52.9% 36.6% —
1989 Q3 781 633 148 19.0% 58.3% 29.5% —
1989 Q2 926 777 149 16.1% 21.7% 23.7% —

Decisions and speed: MHCLG planning application statistics (PS1/PS2), Open Government Licence v3.0, 2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2. Speed figures exclude prior approvals and are measured against the statutory period or agreed extension. Appeal figures: our aggregation of published Planning Inspectorate decisions, 2021–2026 — a different period from the decision figures above. Designation thresholds shown are indicative, not official.

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