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Torbay

South West · E06000027 · 189 quarters held (1979 Q2 – 2026 Q2)

Decisions
504
2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2
Refusal rate
13.3%
higher than 61% of authorities
Majors in time
100.0%
threshold 60%
Minors in time
72.0%
threshold 70%
Householder in time
81.0%
no formal threshold
Delegated
98.0%
decisions not to committee
Appellant win rate
34.6%
112 allowed of 324 decided
Decisions overturned
3.0%
quality threshold 10%

Refusal rate trend — last 40 quarters

2016 Q3 → 2026 Q2 · peak 28.8%

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
644
in the window
Applications decided
504
in the window
Approval rate
86.7%
437 granted, 67 refused · national median refusal 11.6%
Refusal rate rank 44 of 63 unitary authorities (1 = fewest refusals) · peer median 10.6%
Decided within time
77.1%
rank 272 of 307 reporting authorities · national median 91.4%
Rank 55 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
Major18100.0%100.0%
Minor13583.0%72.0%
Other35187.5%—
of which householder25189.6%81.0%
"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
01022042024 Q3: 204 received2024 Q3: 152 decided2024 Q32024 Q4: 179 received2024 Q4: 135 decided2025 Q1: 159 received2025 Q1: 127 decided2025 Q2: 194 received2025 Q2: 136 decided2025 Q3: 183 received2025 Q3: 146 decided2025 Q4: 160 received2025 Q4: 124 decided2026 Q1: 156 received2026 Q1: 123 decided2026 Q2: 145 received2026 Q2: 111 decided2026 Q2
▬ received   ▬ decided
Housing Delivery Test
HDT 2025 measurement, homes delivered against requirement over 2022/23 to 2024/25
40%
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 (E06000027). Missing values are shown as "—" and are never estimated or filled from another period.
DatasetPublisherCovers this authorityLoadedOfficial source
Planning application decisions (PS2)MHCLG1979 Q2 to 2026 Q2 (189 quarters)25 Oct 2026 · 68,583 rows nationallyLive tables
Planning application flow (PS1)MHCLG1979 Q2 to 2026 Q2 (189 quarters)25 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 111 93 18 16.2% 100.0% 50.0% 145
2026 Q1 123 108 15 12.2% — 57.1% 156
2025 Q4 124 104 20 16.1% — 85.7% 160
2025 Q3 146 132 14 9.6% 100.0% 73.9% 183
2025 Q2 136 117 19 14.0% 100.0% 85.7% 194
2025 Q1 127 103 24 18.9% 0.0% 80.0% 159
2024 Q4 135 109 26 19.3% 100.0% 92.9% 179
2024 Q3 152 116 36 23.7% — 93.1% 204
2024 Q2 146 108 38 26.0% 100.0% 100.0% 188
2024 Q1 161 117 44 27.3% — 80.0% 176
2023 Q4 149 121 28 18.8% — 82.1% 230
2023 Q3 171 135 36 21.1% — 69.0% 223
2023 Q2 207 154 53 25.6% 100.0% 77.8% 224
2023 Q1 208 148 60 28.8% 100.0% 75.0% 257
2022 Q4 207 150 57 27.5% 100.0% 43.8% 247
2022 Q3 244 188 56 23.0% 100.0% 79.4% 253
2022 Q2 213 167 46 21.6% 100.0% 53.8% 261
2022 Q1 209 177 32 15.3% 100.0% 60.9% 267
2021 Q4 237 199 38 16.0% 66.7% 70.8% 226
2021 Q3 228 191 37 16.2% — 77.8% 271
2021 Q2 226 172 54 23.9% 0.0% 40.0% 334
2021 Q1 236 188 48 20.3% — 71.9% 281
2020 Q4 233 196 37 15.9% 0.0% 72.7% 296
2020 Q3 206 168 38 18.4% — 55.6% 248
2020 Q2 103 90 13 12.6% 100.0% 41.7% 189
2020 Q1 201 170 31 15.4% 100.0% 62.8% 276
2019 Q4 234 183 51 21.8% 66.7% 67.6% 286
2019 Q3 207 165 42 20.3% 33.3% 81.1% 275
2019 Q2 226 183 43 19.0% 100.0% 77.1% 307
2019 Q1 224 177 47 21.0% 100.0% 75.0% 302
2018 Q4 194 161 33 17.0% — 84.8% 244
2018 Q3 247 213 34 13.8% 100.0% 65.6% 249
2018 Q2 268 239 29 10.8% 100.0% 55.9% 298
2018 Q1 159 145 14 8.8% — 64.3% 271
2017 Q4 210 186 24 11.4% 100.0% 70.6% 227
2017 Q3 220 199 21 9.5% — 64.7% 280
2017 Q2 227 196 31 13.7% — 83.3% 267
2017 Q1 197 174 23 11.7% 100.0% 79.3% 293
2016 Q4 182 157 25 13.7% — 60.0% 248
2016 Q3 204 174 30 14.7% 100.0% 86.7% 248
2016 Q2 229 194 35 15.3% 100.0% 90.9% 293
2016 Q1 221 190 31 14.0% 100.0% 93.6% 309
2015 Q4 201 173 28 13.9% 100.0% 87.1% 246
2015 Q3 232 203 29 12.5% 0.0% 62.5% 269
2015 Q2 231 209 22 9.5% 66.7% 59.6% 258
2015 Q1 209 190 19 9.1% — 47.8% 247
2014 Q4 206 182 24 11.7% 100.0% 73.8% 294
2014 Q3 208 182 26 12.5% 33.3% 80.0% 261
2014 Q2 255 236 19 7.5% 100.0% 65.9% 308
2014 Q1 216 199 13 6.0% 100.0% 63.8% 249
2013 Q4 279 236 32 11.5% 71.4% 55.6% 273
2013 Q3 278 225 32 11.5% 100.0% 52.6% 320
2013 Q2 240 200 32 13.3% 66.7% 43.4% 314
2013 Q1 229 202 23 10.0% 70.0% 52.9% 292
2012 Q4 207 178 25 12.1% 55.6% 61.4% 246
2012 Q3 303 220 34 11.2% 45.5% 56.8% 323
2012 Q2 279 224 42 15.1% 33.3% 46.2% 293
2012 Q1 248 220 24 9.7% 7.1% 67.7% 321
2011 Q4 316 277 36 11.4% 37.5% 71.2% 335
2011 Q3 271 237 28 10.3% 11.1% 58.6% 310
2011 Q2 302 260 33 10.9% 0.0% 54.4% 324
2011 Q1 286 254 29 10.1% 16.7% 74.1% 353
2010 Q4 286 256 22 7.7% 60.0% 67.9% 299
2010 Q3 320 297 16 5.0% 100.0% 68.2% 355
2010 Q2 327 295 24 7.3% 33.3% 61.9% 343
2010 Q1 289 254 26 9.0% 75.0% 62.5% 335
2009 Q4 314 272 34 10.8% 45.5% 73.3% 311
2009 Q3 302 249 43 14.2% 62.5% 64.6% 415
2009 Q2 226 192 28 12.4% 83.3% 69.9% 181
2009 Q1 308 238 55 17.9% 75.0% 78.8% 304
2008 Q4 334 257 64 19.2% 57.1% 79.1% 362
2008 Q3 407 335 60 14.7% 71.4% 75.0% 437
2008 Q2 433 351 70 16.2% 84.6% 73.4% 477
2008 Q1 439 346 85 19.4% 60.0% 72.5% 489
2007 Q4 466 376 79 17.0% 60.0% 71.7% 469
2007 Q3 491 412 79 16.1% 50.0% 75.4% 522
2007 Q2 478 370 93 19.5% 50.0% 85.2% 529
2007 Q1 412 319 84 20.4% 100.0% 88.2% 506
2006 Q4 421 325 86 20.4% 64.7% 79.2% 444
2006 Q3 477 372 99 20.8% 80.0% 79.7% 502
2006 Q2 505 411 94 18.6% 84.6% 79.6% 484
2006 Q1 403 330 73 18.1% 84.6% 84.4% 528
2005 Q4 537 414 123 22.9% 83.3% 69.6% 468
2005 Q3 538 412 125 23.2% 88.9% 69.4% 576
2005 Q2 515 411 104 20.2% 90.0% 77.8% 537
2005 Q1 469 362 107 22.8% 78.9% 79.9% 549
2004 Q4 453 371 82 18.1% 66.7% 76.1% 491
2004 Q3 518 411 106 20.5% 85.7% 76.9% 499
2004 Q2 549 433 116 21.1% 100.0% 70.8% 556
2004 Q1 464 363 101 21.8% 58.8% 74.7% 496
2003 Q4 470 363 107 22.8% 65.0% 75.9% 472
2003 Q3 586 439 146 24.9% 50.0% 76.3% 544
2003 Q2 520 396 123 23.7% 50.0% 70.3% 550
2003 Q1 445 364 78 17.5% 26.7% 53.4% 540
2002 Q4 556 428 126 22.7% 43.8% 57.4% 487
2002 Q3 430 366 59 13.7% 36.4% 61.2% 567
2002 Q2 472 406 59 12.5% 25.0% 52.4% 481
2002 Q1 388 315 72 18.6% 41.7% 37.6% 506
2001 Q4 365 309 55 15.1% 33.3% 48.5% 417
2001 Q3 533 455 72 13.5% 23.5% 54.2% 443
2001 Q2 407 328 73 17.9% 45.5% 56.8% 439
2001 Q1 407 338 56 13.8% 25.0% 58.4% 402
2000 Q4 392 336 48 12.2% 70.0% 57.4% 432
2000 Q3 359 292 60 16.7% 33.3% 45.0% 408
2000 Q2 403 355 40 9.9% 57.1% 55.4% 443
2000 Q1 385 318 60 15.6% 54.5% 56.0% 446
1999 Q4 341 299 39 11.4% 30.8% 51.3% 401
1999 Q3 351 308 38 10.8% 37.5% 57.6% 365
1999 Q2 413 331 71 17.2% 77.8% 51.2% 429
1999 Q1 314 268 35 11.1% 18.2% 41.4% 383
1998 Q4 297 250 40 13.5% 45.5% 58.2% 369
1998 Q3 337 290 37 11.0% 20.0% 56.9% 280
1998 Q2 401 339 49 12.2% 57.1% 65.5% 428
1998 Q1 340 286 43 12.6% 71.4% 54.4% 376
1997 Q4 352 307 36 10.2% 33.3% 50.8% 473
1997 Q3 378 312 54 14.3% 28.6% 59.5% 448
1997 Q2 458 388 54 11.8% 33.3% 53.6% 448
1997 Q1 351 294 44 12.5% 72.7% 53.7% 397
1996 Q4 364 317 36 9.9% 45.5% 53.8% 410
1996 Q3 418 360 47 11.2% 57.1% 55.0% 415
1996 Q2 363 317 30 8.3% 66.7% 45.7% 370
1996 Q1 309 283 26 8.4% 33.3% 57.1% —
1995 Q4 351 320 31 8.8% 31.3% 69.2% —
1995 Q3 332 301 31 9.3% 47.4% 50.9% —
1995 Q2 335 313 22 6.6% 58.3% 60.4% —
1995 Q1 333 315 18 5.4% 61.9% 70.3% —
1994 Q4 405 348 57 14.1% 57.1% 65.4% —
1994 Q3 353 333 20 5.7% 75.0% 46.8% —
1994 Q2 368 339 29 7.9% 50.0% 35.5% —
1994 Q1 322 300 22 6.8% 21.4% 35.2% —
1993 Q4 257 242 15 5.8% 0.0% 62.2% —
1993 Q3 414 377 37 8.9% 73.7% 43.5% —
1993 Q2 289 272 17 5.9% 55.6% 46.9% —
1993 Q1 308 293 15 4.9% 42.9% 33.3% —
1992 Q4 277 247 30 10.8% 36.4% 51.9% —
1992 Q3 282 244 38 13.5% 50.0% 46.3% —
1992 Q2 319 277 42 13.2% 18.2% 22.7% —
1992 Q1 248 222 26 10.5% 6.3% 46.7% —
1991 Q4 315 270 45 14.3% 38.9% 36.2% —
1991 Q3 344 306 38 11.0% 25.0% 38.8% —
1991 Q2 267 242 25 9.4% 0.0% 34.5% —
1991 Q1 357 263 94 26.3% 75.7% 48.3% —
1990 Q4 289 266 23 8.0% 9.1% 46.8% —
1990 Q3 396 344 52 13.1% 20.8% 44.3% —
1990 Q2 348 306 42 12.1% 33.3% 29.2% —
1990 Q1 366 312 54 14.8% 19.2% 30.0% —
1989 Q4 421 360 61 14.5% 20.0% 16.1% —
1989 Q3 404 349 55 13.6% 13.3% 22.5% —
1989 Q2 389 348 41 10.5% 27.3% 26.0% —
1989 Q1 422 357 65 15.4% 11.8% 31.7% —
1988 Q4 359 321 38 10.6% 28.6% 35.6% —
1988 Q3 539 470 69 12.8% 19.2% 39.7% —
1988 Q2 405 367 38 9.4% 26.7% 33.3% —
1988 Q1 419 366 53 12.6% 52.6% 21.0% —
1987 Q4 361 304 57 15.8% 20.0% 25.2% —
1987 Q3 463 400 63 13.6% 50.0% 31.2% —
1987 Q2 427 365 62 14.5% 28.6% 22.9% —
1987 Q1 301 261 40 13.3% 50.0% 28.4% —
1986 Q4 423 365 58 13.7% 54.5% 46.9% —
1986 Q3 361 309 52 14.4% 90.9% 44.3% —
1986 Q2 294 257 37 12.6% 33.3% 48.4% —
1986 Q1 199 168 31 15.6% 57.1% 57.7% —
1985 Q4 324 287 37 11.4% 53.8% 65.9% —
1985 Q3 360 310 50 13.9% 60.0% 62.9% —
1985 Q2 335 293 42 12.5% 70.0% 64.0% —
1985 Q1 263 218 45 17.1% 58.3% 69.5% —
1984 Q4 300 253 47 15.7% 60.0% 75.0% —
1984 Q3 316 278 38 12.0% 36.4% 56.1% —
1984 Q2 372 329 43 11.6% 40.0% 51.5% —
1984 Q1 295 262 33 11.2% 58.3% 47.3% —
1983 Q4 262 227 35 13.4% 60.0% 67.3% —
1983 Q3 309 275 34 11.0% 28.6% 48.6% —
1983 Q2 358 326 32 8.9% 42.9% 47.7% —
1983 Q1 266 243 23 8.6% 25.0% 56.7% —
1982 Q4 258 224 34 13.2% 60.0% 58.5% —
1982 Q3 287 251 36 12.5% 45.5% 43.4% —
1982 Q2 293 263 30 10.2% 50.0% 48.6% —
1982 Q1 220 183 37 16.8% 54.5% 52.1% —
1981 Q4 286 247 39 13.6% 38.5% 40.0% —
1981 Q3 313 274 39 12.5% 13.3% 26.8% —
1981 Q2 334 282 52 15.6% 53.8% 8.9% —
1981 Q1 339 301 38 11.2% 31.8% 39.3% —
1980 Q4 294 261 33 11.2% 58.3% 41.3% —
1980 Q3 362 315 47 13.0% 53.8% 32.1% —
1980 Q2 461 419 42 9.1% 21.4% 27.4% —
1980 Q1 365 317 48 13.2% 28.6% 29.4% —
1979 Q4 375 323 52 13.9% 47.4% 17.3% —
1979 Q3 373 331 42 11.3% 53.8% 16.5% —
1979 Q2 384 341 43 11.2% 53.8% 20.9% —

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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