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Three Rivers

East of England · E07000102 · 189 quarters held (1979 Q2 – 2026 Q2)

Decisions
809
2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2
Refusal rate
11.1%
higher than 45% of authorities
Majors in time
100.0%
threshold 60%
Minors in time
97.1%
threshold 70%
Householder in time
98.2%
no formal threshold
Delegated
94.4%
decisions not to committee
Appellant win rate
35.9%
95 allowed of 265 decided
Decisions overturned
1.9%
quality threshold 10%

Refusal rate trend — last 40 quarters

2016 Q3 → 2026 Q2 · peak 18.4%

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
849
in the window
Applications decided
809
in the window
Approval rate
88.9%
719 granted, 90 refused · national median refusal 11.6%
Refusal rate rank 81 of 164 district councils (1 = fewest refusals) · peer median 11.4%
Decided within time
98.2%
rank 35 of 307 reporting authorities · national median 91.4%
Rank 15 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
Major1471.4%100.0%
Minor12382.1%97.1%
Other67290.5%—
of which householder61790.9%98.2%
"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
01262522024 Q3: 210 received2024 Q3: 208 decided2024 Q32024 Q4: 234 received2024 Q4: 195 decided2025 Q1: 239 received2025 Q1: 215 decided2025 Q2: 252 received2025 Q2: 219 decided2025 Q3: 216 received2025 Q3: 207 decided2025 Q4: 217 received2025 Q4: 212 decided2026 Q1: 226 received2026 Q1: 181 decided2026 Q2: 190 received2026 Q2: 209 decided2026 Q2
▬ received   ▬ decided
Housing Delivery Test
HDT 2025 measurement, homes delivered against requirement over 2022/23 to 2024/25
47%
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 (E07000102). 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 209 190 19 9.1% 100.0% 100.0% 190
2026 Q1 181 161 20 11.0% — 100.0% 226
2025 Q4 212 193 19 9.0% 100.0% 96.2% 217
2025 Q3 207 175 32 15.5% 100.0% 94.1% 216
2025 Q2 219 204 15 6.8% 100.0% 100.0% 252
2025 Q1 215 188 27 12.6% — 100.0% 239
2024 Q4 195 168 27 13.8% 100.0% 94.4% 234
2024 Q3 208 188 20 9.6% 100.0% 92.3% 210
2024 Q2 213 186 27 12.7% 100.0% 100.0% 238
2024 Q1 188 166 22 11.7% 100.0% 100.0% 209
2023 Q4 218 184 34 15.6% 100.0% 96.0% 233
2023 Q3 227 188 39 17.2% 100.0% 96.0% 256
2023 Q2 234 198 36 15.4% — 100.0% 251
2023 Q1 216 180 36 16.7% — 95.8% 258
2022 Q4 222 193 29 13.1% — 92.9% 250
2022 Q3 240 214 26 10.8% — 100.0% 245
2022 Q2 261 231 30 11.5% 100.0% 94.1% 279
2022 Q1 227 195 32 14.1% 100.0% 78.6% 283
2021 Q4 264 232 32 12.1% 100.0% 90.5% 294
2021 Q3 342 299 43 12.6% 100.0% 90.0% 302
2021 Q2 354 302 52 14.7% 100.0% 90.0% 388
2021 Q1 271 241 30 11.1% 100.0% 94.7% 388
2020 Q4 263 231 32 12.2% 100.0% 96.4% 335
2020 Q3 238 205 33 13.9% 83.3% 100.0% 277
2020 Q2 234 197 37 15.8% 100.0% 95.2% 266
2020 Q1 201 165 36 17.9% 100.0% 88.9% 270
2019 Q4 239 195 44 18.4% 100.0% 92.3% 268
2019 Q3 264 229 35 13.3% 100.0% 91.2% 293
2019 Q2 259 222 37 14.3% — 85.2% 273
2019 Q1 227 201 26 11.5% 100.0% 82.1% 266
2018 Q4 235 216 19 8.1% 100.0% 95.0% 261
2018 Q3 269 240 29 10.8% 100.0% 80.5% 259
2018 Q2 262 241 21 8.0% 100.0% 94.3% 299
2018 Q1 265 248 17 6.4% 100.0% 84.2% 293
2017 Q4 273 244 29 10.6% 100.0% 77.6% 283
2017 Q3 296 247 49 16.6% 100.0% 81.5% 318
2017 Q2 298 260 38 12.8% 100.0% 97.8% 322
2017 Q1 286 243 43 15.0% 100.0% 85.5% 315
2016 Q4 262 231 31 11.8% 100.0% 98.0% 304
2016 Q3 306 281 25 8.2% 100.0% 91.4% 320
2016 Q2 300 265 35 11.7% 100.0% 96.6% 320
2016 Q1 217 197 20 9.2% 100.0% 93.3% 305
2015 Q4 231 201 30 13.0% 100.0% 86.1% 270
2015 Q3 266 249 17 6.4% 100.0% 97.4% 270
2015 Q2 265 243 22 8.3% 100.0% 89.7% 305
2015 Q1 245 220 25 10.2% 100.0% 88.1% 286
2014 Q4 240 219 21 8.8% 100.0% 90.7% 268
2014 Q3 253 235 18 7.1% 100.0% 88.1% 266
2014 Q2 292 272 20 6.8% 100.0% 89.2% 281
2014 Q1 243 208 10 4.1% 100.0% 97.9% 310
2013 Q4 235 193 16 6.8% 100.0% 86.5% 256
2013 Q3 299 256 10 3.3% 100.0% 95.3% 288
2013 Q2 279 235 15 5.4% 100.0% 82.6% 291
2013 Q1 278 224 21 7.6% 100.0% 92.5% 323
2012 Q4 261 209 27 10.3% 50.0% 91.8% 288
2012 Q3 288 247 22 7.6% 100.0% 89.8% 285
2012 Q2 293 235 23 7.8% 100.0% 89.2% 312
2012 Q1 239 182 21 8.8% 100.0% 88.6% 299
2011 Q4 245 193 27 11.0% 80.0% 86.7% 266
2011 Q3 295 236 37 12.5% 100.0% 91.4% 306
2011 Q2 307 249 32 10.4% 100.0% 91.1% 318
2011 Q1 235 181 17 7.2% 100.0% 88.6% 306
2010 Q4 286 231 29 10.1% 100.0% 89.4% 290
2010 Q3 304 236 31 10.2% 100.0% 90.9% 320
2010 Q2 278 216 31 11.2% 66.7% 86.7% 332
2010 Q1 270 203 29 10.7% 100.0% 92.3% 310
2009 Q4 266 207 33 12.4% 100.0% 87.8% 308
2009 Q3 330 254 37 11.2% 100.0% 88.7% 304
2009 Q2 262 203 35 13.4% 100.0% 90.0% 344
2009 Q1 223 171 33 14.8% 100.0% 76.4% 278
2008 Q4 263 212 35 13.3% 100.0% 81.3% 277
2008 Q3 352 275 51 14.5% 100.0% 95.0% 353
2008 Q2 381 304 44 11.5% 100.0% 85.5% 404
2008 Q1 346 267 52 15.0% 50.0% 80.0% 445
2007 Q4 410 316 65 15.9% 100.0% 83.1% 424
2007 Q3 393 308 51 13.0% 80.0% 87.3% 462
2007 Q2 371 284 53 14.3% 100.0% 87.5% 434
2007 Q1 317 234 50 15.8% 87.5% 82.0% 405
2006 Q4 358 262 66 18.4% 87.5% 87.7% 375
2006 Q3 303 207 81 26.7% 100.0% 84.8% 391
2006 Q2 311 219 67 21.5% 50.0% 77.8% 338
2006 Q1 286 203 63 22.0% 71.4% 85.7% 355
2005 Q4 320 221 77 24.1% 50.0% 67.7% 329
2005 Q3 333 262 51 15.3% 50.0% 62.0% 358
2005 Q2 339 265 55 16.2% 71.4% 66.7% 343
2005 Q1 265 202 52 19.6% 25.0% 53.2% 375
2004 Q4 333 241 76 22.8% 66.7% 65.5% 328
2004 Q3 385 289 72 18.7% 16.7% 59.0% 347
2004 Q2 356 274 66 18.5% 0.0% 66.7% 431
2004 Q1 325 240 65 20.0% — 74.5% 405
2003 Q4 330 242 73 22.1% 54.5% 78.3% 344
2003 Q3 350 256 76 21.7% 100.0% 84.9% 356
2003 Q2 349 275 60 17.2% — 66.7% 373
2003 Q1 284 213 61 21.5% 66.7% 69.6% 375
2002 Q4 305 224 73 23.9% 0.0% 62.3% 313
2002 Q3 287 224 51 17.8% — 55.3% 339
2002 Q2 339 284 38 11.2% 25.0% 26.9% 330
2002 Q1 226 168 35 15.5% 0.0% 29.8% 268
2001 Q4 270 201 54 20.0% 0.0% 25.8% 291
2001 Q3 326 254 49 15.0% 100.0% 25.0% 298
2001 Q2 296 226 45 15.2% 0.0% 14.3% 350
2001 Q1 259 204 44 17.0% 50.0% 26.5% 316
2000 Q4 285 217 53 18.6% 0.0% 17.0% 257
2000 Q3 329 252 57 17.3% 25.0% 12.5% 307
2000 Q2 283 213 47 16.6% 33.3% 23.3% 325
2000 Q1 226 180 36 15.9% 50.0% 30.4% 327
1999 Q4 318 269 33 10.4% 33.3% 23.3% 206
1999 Q3 309 229 53 17.2% 62.5% 8.1% 293
1999 Q2 231 186 44 19.0% 0.0% 29.6% 321
1999 Q1 152 124 18 11.8% 0.0% 30.0% 257
1998 Q4 252 197 43 17.1% 0.0% 21.1% 192
1998 Q3 313 243 44 14.1% 0.0% 14.8% 253
1998 Q2 225 176 33 14.7% 33.3% 8.3% 273
1998 Q1 189 156 21 11.1% 0.0% 29.7% 294
1997 Q4 203 161 30 14.8% 100.0% 13.6% 224
1997 Q3 253 201 34 13.4% 66.7% 22.4% 237
1997 Q2 260 207 38 14.6% 75.0% 35.3% 308
1997 Q1 159 114 34 21.4% 80.0% 31.7% 229
1996 Q4 259 193 50 19.3% 83.3% 35.7% 211
1996 Q3 245 188 47 19.2% 66.7% 36.8% 242
1996 Q2 220 165 43 19.5% 50.0% 23.5% 237
1996 Q1 166 155 11 6.6% 50.0% 46.8% —
1995 Q4 217 204 13 6.0% 45.5% 64.0% —
1995 Q3 214 197 17 7.9% 50.0% 51.2% —
1995 Q2 193 181 12 6.2% 60.0% 50.7% —
1995 Q1 228 210 18 7.9% 28.6% 42.1% —
1994 Q4 224 211 13 5.8% 16.7% 60.0% —
1994 Q3 254 232 22 8.7% 28.6% 43.0% —
1994 Q2 265 241 24 9.1% 25.0% 41.9% —
1994 Q1 234 219 15 6.4% 46.2% 38.8% —
1993 Q4 252 224 28 11.1% 46.2% 39.3% —
1993 Q3 226 211 15 6.6% 60.0% 30.6% —
1993 Q2 248 222 26 10.5% 81.8% 50.0% —
1993 Q1 195 172 23 11.8% 45.5% 58.7% —
1992 Q4 241 215 26 10.8% 33.3% 43.2% —
1992 Q3 250 221 29 11.6% 44.4% 42.4% —
1992 Q2 279 252 27 9.7% 58.3% 39.1% —
1992 Q1 276 235 41 14.9% 27.3% 47.3% —
1991 Q4 257 208 49 19.1% 46.2% 36.2% —
1991 Q3 284 233 51 18.0% 37.5% 55.3% —
1991 Q2 295 225 70 23.7% 25.0% 34.6% —
1991 Q1 241 205 36 14.9% 57.1% 45.5% —
1990 Q4 247 206 41 16.6% 47.4% 33.7% —
1990 Q3 313 239 74 23.6% 25.0% 27.8% —
1990 Q2 315 243 72 22.9% 36.8% 28.8% —
1990 Q1 247 205 42 17.0% 16.1% 28.4% —
1989 Q4 339 288 51 15.0% 27.8% 20.8% —
1989 Q3 344 293 51 14.8% 6.3% 3.9% —
1989 Q2 409 324 85 20.8% 55.6% 26.7% —
1989 Q1 346 277 69 19.9% 46.7% 40.2% —
1988 Q4 366 297 69 18.9% 76.9% 43.1% —
1988 Q3 342 292 50 14.6% 66.7% 61.6% —
1988 Q2 319 289 30 9.4% 72.7% 63.0% —
1988 Q1 214 191 23 10.7% 75.0% 80.6% —
1987 Q4 269 226 43 16.0% 44.4% 74.0% —
1987 Q3 306 257 49 16.0% 62.5% 74.3% —
1987 Q2 265 220 45 17.0% 100.0% 81.0% —
1987 Q1 168 150 18 10.7% 77.8% 75.0% —
1986 Q4 215 193 22 10.2% 100.0% 92.8% —
1986 Q3 294 243 51 17.3% 25.0% 66.9% —
1986 Q2 266 240 26 9.8% 90.0% 87.9% —
1986 Q1 194 169 25 12.9% 50.0% 60.5% —
1985 Q4 172 155 17 9.9% 50.0% 71.6% —
1985 Q3 278 229 49 17.6% 25.0% 66.7% —
1985 Q2 217 195 22 10.1% 0.0% 31.5% —
1985 Q1 190 167 23 12.1% 16.7% 29.8% —
1984 Q4 154 131 23 14.9% 0.0% 56.1% —
1984 Q3 163 148 15 9.2% 100.0% 54.5% —
1984 Q2 262 229 33 12.6% 33.3% 46.7% —
1984 Q1 191 170 21 11.0% 33.3% 27.9% —
1983 Q4 195 173 22 11.3% 66.7% 39.7% —
1983 Q3 294 261 33 11.2% — 26.7% —
1983 Q2 235 211 24 10.2% 100.0% 59.3% —
1983 Q1 171 153 18 10.5% 100.0% 45.0% —
1982 Q4 283 262 21 7.4% 100.0% 42.7% —
1982 Q3 211 201 10 4.7% 100.0% 33.8% —
1982 Q2 154 148 6 3.9% 100.0% 56.8% —
1982 Q1 205 190 15 7.3% 100.0% 32.8% —
1981 Q4 185 176 9 4.9% 100.0% 52.6% —
1981 Q3 309 284 25 8.1% 100.0% 38.3% —
1981 Q2 268 237 31 11.6% — 36.1% —
1981 Q1 263 212 51 19.4% — 61.1% —
1980 Q4 302 256 46 15.2% 62.5% 48.4% —
1980 Q3 233 197 36 15.5% 20.0% 45.5% —
1980 Q2 277 254 23 8.3% 50.0% 48.4% —
1980 Q1 255 224 31 12.2% 14.3% 28.4% —
1979 Q4 355 314 41 11.5% 50.0% 38.8% —
1979 Q3 292 262 30 10.3% 77.8% 68.8% —
1979 Q2 317 283 34 10.7% 54.5% 49.0% —

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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