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Colchester

East of England · E07000071 · 189 quarters held (1979 Q2 – 2026 Q2)

Decisions
1,003
2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2
Refusal rate
16.2%
higher than 75% of authorities
Majors in time
100.0%
threshold 60%
Minors in time
94.4%
threshold 70%
Householder in time
96.7%
no formal threshold
Delegated
98.1%
decisions not to committee
Appellant win rate
25.2%
86 allowed of 341 decided
Decisions overturned
1.3%
quality threshold 10%

Refusal rate trend — last 40 quarters

2016 Q3 → 2026 Q2 · peak 24.5%

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
1,137
in the window
Applications decided
1,003
in the window
Approval rate
83.8%
841 granted, 162 refused · national median refusal 11.6%
Refusal rate rank 128 of 164 district councils (1 = fewest refusals) · peer median 11.4%
Decided within time
95.8%
rank 80 of 307 reporting authorities · national median 91.4%
Rank 47 of 164 district councils · peer median 91.9%

Peer ranks compare only district councils 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
Major2885.7%100.0%
Minor22878.9%94.4%
Other74785.3%—
of which householder54686.1%96.7%
"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
01533052024 Q3: 270 received2024 Q3: 285 decided2024 Q32024 Q4: 280 received2024 Q4: 272 decided2025 Q1: 292 received2025 Q1: 249 decided2025 Q2: 302 received2025 Q2: 305 decided2025 Q3: 253 received2025 Q3: 273 decided2025 Q4: 300 received2025 Q4: 232 decided2026 Q1: 282 received2026 Q1: 264 decided2026 Q2: 302 received2026 Q2: 234 decided2026 Q2
▬ received   ▬ decided
Housing Delivery Test
HDT 2025 measurement, homes delivered against requirement over 2022/23 to 2024/25
109%
No consequence

Delivery at or above 95%: no HDT consequence.

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 (E07000071). 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 234 197 37 15.8% 100.0% 85.7% 302
2026 Q1 264 232 32 12.1% 100.0% 92.3% 282
2025 Q4 232 202 30 12.9% 100.0% 100.0% 300
2025 Q3 273 210 63 23.1% 100.0% 100.0% 253
2025 Q2 305 242 63 20.7% 100.0% 96.8% 302
2025 Q1 249 189 60 24.1% 100.0% 90.0% 292
2024 Q4 272 225 47 17.3% 100.0% 89.7% 280
2024 Q3 285 223 62 21.8% 100.0% 94.4% 270
2024 Q2 335 253 82 24.5% 100.0% 93.5% 304
2024 Q1 295 245 50 16.9% 100.0% 92.3% 318
2023 Q4 274 225 49 17.9% 100.0% 93.3% 307
2023 Q3 314 260 54 17.2% 100.0% 90.9% 320
2023 Q2 381 323 58 15.2% 100.0% 98.1% 340
2023 Q1 304 258 46 15.1% 100.0% 93.2% 403
2022 Q4 338 290 48 14.2% 100.0% 97.1% 314
2022 Q3 347 310 37 10.7% 100.0% 100.0% 418
2022 Q2 378 317 61 16.1% 100.0% 97.5% 410
2022 Q1 357 316 41 11.5% 100.0% 94.6% 419
2021 Q4 387 327 60 15.5% 100.0% 95.8% 406
2021 Q3 439 389 50 11.4% 100.0% 92.7% 420
2021 Q2 459 422 37 8.1% 100.0% 93.9% 497
2021 Q1 355 318 37 10.4% 100.0% 82.9% 439
2020 Q4 325 299 26 8.0% 100.0% 91.7% 352
2020 Q3 308 274 34 11.0% 100.0% 97.3% 395
2020 Q2 312 282 30 9.6% 100.0% 100.0% 261
2020 Q1 313 284 29 9.3% 100.0% 90.3% 382
2019 Q4 296 267 29 9.8% 100.0% 94.7% 362
2019 Q3 407 375 32 7.9% 50.0% 82.1% 369
2019 Q2 414 387 27 6.5% 100.0% 79.7% 421
2019 Q1 333 303 30 9.0% 100.0% 90.0% 432
2018 Q4 356 337 19 5.3% 75.0% 90.0% 392
2018 Q3 328 308 20 6.1% 33.3% 97.4% 360
2018 Q2 375 348 27 7.2% 77.8% 94.9% 399
2018 Q1 359 319 40 11.1% 100.0% 94.3% 436
2017 Q4 356 324 32 9.0% 100.0% 95.3% 369
2017 Q3 396 368 28 7.1% 100.0% 93.5% 372
2017 Q2 377 335 42 11.1% 66.7% 98.3% 416
2017 Q1 330 302 28 8.5% 100.0% 94.9% 422
2016 Q4 397 364 33 8.3% 75.0% 95.1% 367
2016 Q3 383 335 48 12.5% 60.0% 87.9% 388
2016 Q2 379 349 30 7.9% 100.0% 96.7% 419
2016 Q1 368 333 35 9.5% 100.0% 90.1% 397
2015 Q4 371 325 46 12.4% 85.7% 94.8% 386
2015 Q3 403 354 49 12.2% 75.0% 90.5% 404
2015 Q2 328 279 49 14.9% 100.0% 83.8% 394
2015 Q1 332 289 43 13.0% 71.4% 87.7% 342
2014 Q4 317 293 24 7.6% 78.6% 75.4% 368
2014 Q3 398 349 49 12.3% 100.0% 90.8% 348
2014 Q2 371 328 43 11.6% 100.0% 89.0% 416
2014 Q1 310 272 31 10.0% 90.0% 88.0% 394
2013 Q4 335 281 40 11.9% 100.0% 81.2% 377
2013 Q3 405 348 44 10.9% 61.1% 81.5% 353
2013 Q2 380 326 44 11.6% 80.0% 68.8% 403
2013 Q1 264 206 47 17.8% 62.5% 68.5% 376
2012 Q4 297 236 42 14.1% 77.8% 80.0% 306
2012 Q3 359 304 41 11.4% 53.8% 77.1% 344
2012 Q2 316 265 39 12.3% 78.9% 73.8% 368
2012 Q1 357 301 42 11.8% 42.9% 76.3% 384
2011 Q4 345 285 47 13.6% 66.7% 85.2% 365
2011 Q3 393 328 47 12.0% 91.7% 72.2% 370
2011 Q2 367 308 42 11.4% 66.7% 87.2% 425
2011 Q1 354 295 51 14.4% 80.0% 75.0% 397
2010 Q4 339 274 58 17.1% 61.5% 60.5% 352
2010 Q3 356 300 52 14.6% 70.6% 75.6% 404
2010 Q2 324 281 39 12.0% 33.3% 75.9% 376
2010 Q1 281 236 39 13.9% 50.0% 75.6% 346
2009 Q4 284 253 29 10.2% 55.6% 69.6% 296
2009 Q3 301 259 31 10.3% 80.0% 73.2% 344
2009 Q2 322 267 47 14.6% 76.9% 73.9% 332
2009 Q1 227 184 35 15.4% 33.3% 82.8% 337
2008 Q4 307 241 56 18.2% 57.1% 82.7% 271
2008 Q3 357 316 39 10.9% 44.4% 88.4% 370
2008 Q2 518 433 81 15.6% 60.0% 77.6% 436
2008 Q1 486 400 69 14.2% 92.3% 85.1% 511
2007 Q4 470 399 58 12.3% 50.0% 54.5% 495
2007 Q3 442 367 69 15.6% 57.1% 65.4% 509
2007 Q2 491 427 51 10.4% 83.3% 64.6% 501
2007 Q1 415 326 65 15.7% 50.0% 61.7% 531
2006 Q4 481 404 44 9.1% 50.0% 67.0% 476
2006 Q3 504 395 63 12.5% 41.7% 63.8% 503
2006 Q2 502 390 70 13.9% 55.6% 67.4% 531
2006 Q1 463 362 70 15.1% 35.0% 72.9% 547
2005 Q4 413 313 66 16.0% 64.3% 67.9% 499
2005 Q3 429 343 63 14.7% 88.9% 72.0% 456
2005 Q2 565 460 67 11.9% 85.7% 75.2% 513
2005 Q1 434 333 64 14.7% 85.0% 81.7% 585
2004 Q4 514 397 60 11.7% 73.3% 68.0% 521
2004 Q3 601 460 83 13.8% 46.2% 66.1% 546
2004 Q2 622 479 66 10.6% 38.5% 68.3% 621
2004 Q1 437 344 60 13.7% 30.0% 64.6% 610
2003 Q4 492 396 67 13.6% 50.0% 73.8% 498
2003 Q3 590 469 100 16.9% 35.7% 57.2% 588
2003 Q2 520 402 79 15.2% 35.7% 46.5% 571
2003 Q1 450 349 55 12.2% 9.1% 54.3% 495
2002 Q4 453 381 43 9.5% 33.3% 34.5% 466
2002 Q3 501 408 52 10.4% 20.0% 47.4% 512
2002 Q2 532 459 41 7.7% — 43.6% 506
2002 Q1 456 383 44 9.6% 30.0% 42.6% 612
2001 Q4 369 294 41 11.1% 0.0% 63.0% 427
2001 Q3 453 358 60 13.2% 9.1% 55.8% 485
2001 Q2 477 356 49 10.3% 0.0% 56.6% 491
2001 Q1 380 291 35 9.2% 44.4% 43.8% 473
2000 Q4 416 297 67 16.1% 25.0% 49.2% 409
2000 Q3 447 353 52 11.6% 27.3% 49.2% 451
2000 Q2 530 414 61 11.5% 11.1% 41.9% 531
2000 Q1 410 322 56 13.7% 42.9% 50.0% 489
1999 Q4 369 302 46 12.5% 45.5% 62.7% 427
1999 Q3 516 420 74 14.3% 72.7% 65.4% 482
1999 Q2 393 329 54 13.7% 53.8% 67.0% 500
1999 Q1 382 333 41 10.7% 54.5% 63.9% 439
1998 Q4 405 335 63 15.6% 26.7% 70.5% 422
1998 Q3 407 332 68 16.7% 50.0% 67.0% 428
1998 Q2 460 375 75 16.3% 50.0% 66.1% 462
1998 Q1 347 286 55 15.9% 53.3% 57.3% 440
1997 Q4 405 330 68 16.8% 80.0% 66.7% 377
1997 Q3 467 379 79 16.9% 46.2% 57.1% 448
1997 Q2 425 353 61 14.4% 60.0% 69.9% 499
1997 Q1 353 289 53 15.0% 46.2% 60.0% 410
1996 Q4 361 304 47 13.0% 40.0% 59.8% 367
1996 Q3 415 342 57 13.7% 14.3% 64.0% 401
1996 Q2 353 303 42 11.9% 55.6% 60.4% 416
1996 Q1 116 101 15 12.9% 50.0% 55.4% —
1995 Q4 148 138 10 6.8% 27.3% 48.1% —
1995 Q3 140 125 15 10.7% 54.5% 31.4% —
1995 Q2 144 131 13 9.0% 33.3% 44.3% —
1995 Q1 129 110 19 14.7% 60.0% 39.0% —
1994 Q4 148 134 14 9.5% 42.9% 51.4% —
1994 Q3 157 135 22 14.0% 0.0% 20.3% —
1994 Q2 156 145 11 7.1% 33.3% 47.5% —
1994 Q1 128 112 16 12.5% 20.0% 54.7% —
1993 Q4 153 138 15 9.8% 66.7% 42.3% —
1993 Q3 182 170 12 6.6% 66.7% 52.7% —
1993 Q2 151 140 11 7.3% 33.3% 46.7% —
1993 Q1 140 117 23 16.4% 20.0% 50.0% —
1992 Q4 154 137 17 11.0% 80.0% 63.5% —
1992 Q3 159 144 15 9.4% 40.0% 62.3% —
1992 Q2 174 152 22 12.6% 0.0% 58.7% —
1992 Q1 150 126 24 16.0% 33.3% 67.6% —
1991 Q4 135 112 23 17.0% 50.0% 54.5% —
1991 Q3 216 179 37 17.1% 0.0% 47.9% —
1991 Q2 148 119 29 19.6% — 49.3% —
1991 Q1 145 116 29 20.0% 50.0% 60.5% —
1990 Q4 136 112 24 17.6% 25.0% 69.1% —
1990 Q3 186 144 42 22.6% 66.7% 54.7% —
1990 Q2 185 148 37 20.0% 58.3% 34.1% —
1990 Q1 167 128 39 23.4% 0.0% 56.3% —
1989 Q4 196 162 34 17.3% 50.0% 46.5% —
1989 Q3 208 172 36 17.3% 66.7% 23.2% —
1989 Q2 239 188 51 21.3% 80.0% 34.7% —
1989 Q1 176 147 29 16.5% 60.0% 63.8% —
1988 Q4 197 160 37 18.8% 27.3% 64.9% —
1988 Q3 184 149 35 19.0% 100.0% 62.8% —
1988 Q2 316 263 53 16.8% 57.1% 40.9% —
1988 Q1 153 120 33 21.6% 40.0% 55.1% —
1987 Q4 182 147 35 19.2% 75.0% 53.2% —
1987 Q3 475 407 68 14.3% 60.0% 40.4% —
1987 Q2 506 435 71 14.0% 87.5% 40.0% —
1987 Q1 436 375 61 14.0% 38.9% 44.4% —
1986 Q4 468 389 79 16.9% 38.5% 50.3% —
1986 Q3 464 405 59 12.7% 92.9% 47.1% —
1986 Q2 495 400 95 19.2% 35.3% 52.6% —
1986 Q1 397 328 69 17.4% 50.0% 57.7% —
1985 Q4 441 360 81 18.4% 76.9% 68.8% —
1985 Q3 523 450 73 14.0% 81.8% 52.0% —
1985 Q2 448 387 61 13.6% 90.0% 53.8% —
1985 Q1 415 351 64 15.4% 80.0% 49.6% —
1984 Q4 381 321 60 15.7% 88.9% 63.6% —
1984 Q3 399 325 74 18.5% 80.0% 71.3% —
1984 Q2 490 375 115 23.5% 100.0% 74.3% —
1984 Q1 411 346 65 15.8% 90.0% 74.0% —
1983 Q4 391 349 42 10.7% 100.0% 70.2% —
1983 Q3 465 409 56 12.0% 91.7% 62.8% —
1983 Q2 459 392 67 14.6% 69.2% 68.3% —
1983 Q1 413 355 58 14.0% 66.7% 73.1% —
1982 Q4 398 344 54 13.6% 86.7% 74.1% —
1982 Q3 428 379 49 11.4% 68.8% 75.4% —
1982 Q2 336 301 35 10.4% 93.3% 63.1% —
1982 Q1 370 319 51 13.8% 88.9% 75.8% —
1981 Q4 404 352 52 12.9% 50.0% 72.3% —
1981 Q3 440 372 68 15.5% 50.0% 60.4% —
1981 Q2 557 465 92 16.5% 100.0% 48.9% —
1981 Q1 496 415 81 16.3% 100.0% 94.4% —
1980 Q4 581 492 89 15.3% 55.6% 70.3% —
1980 Q3 481 411 70 14.6% 34.8% 61.2% —
1980 Q2 641 562 79 12.3% 60.0% 34.0% —
1980 Q1 509 434 75 14.7% 16.7% 27.0% —
1979 Q4 613 535 78 12.7% 55.6% 27.3% —
1979 Q3 537 477 60 11.2% 81.3% 50.0% —
1979 Q2 549 496 53 9.7% 33.3% 33.8% —

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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