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Tower Hamlets

London · E09000030 · 166 quarters held (1983 Q1 – 2026 Q2)

Decisions
972
2025 Q3 – 2026 Q2
Refusal rate
15.5%
higher than 71% of authorities
Majors in time
50.0%
threshold 60%
Minors in time
90.0%
threshold 70%
Householder in time
92.7%
no formal threshold
Delegated
98.0%
decisions not to committee
Appellant win rate
27.1%
94 allowed of 347 decided
Decisions overturned
1.8%
quality threshold 10%

Refusal rate trend — last 40 quarters

2016 Q3 → 2026 Q2 · peak 23.3%

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
1,008
in the window
Applications decided
972
in the window
Approval rate
84.5%
821 granted, 151 refused · national median refusal 11.6%
Refusal rate rank 14 of 33 London boroughs (1 = fewest refusals) · peer median 17.0%
Decided within time
90.7%
rank 165 of 307 reporting authorities · national median 91.4%
Rank 18 of 33 London boroughs · peer median 91.0%

Peer ranks compare only London boroughs 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
Major3278.1%50.0%
Minor42784.3%90.0%
Other51385.0%—
of which householder19192.7%92.7%
"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
01553092024 Q3: 239 received2024 Q3: 218 decided2024 Q32024 Q4: 233 received2024 Q4: 213 decided2025 Q1: 283 received2025 Q1: 237 decided2025 Q2: 264 received2025 Q2: 272 decided2025 Q3: 278 received2025 Q3: 218 decided2025 Q4: 222 received2025 Q4: 309 decided2026 Q1: 283 received2026 Q1: 199 decided2026 Q2: 225 received2026 Q2: 246 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 (E09000030). Missing values are shown as "—" and are never estimated or filled from another period.
DatasetPublisherCovers this authorityLoadedOfficial source
Planning application decisions (PS2)MHCLG1983 Q1 to 2026 Q2 (166 quarters)25 Oct 2026 · 68,583 rows nationallyLive tables
Planning application flow (PS1)MHCLG1983 Q1 to 2026 Q2 (166 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 246 210 36 14.6% — 98.4% 225
2026 Q1 199 176 23 11.6% 100.0% 91.1% 283
2025 Q4 309 260 49 15.9% 0.0% 89.3% 222
2025 Q3 218 175 43 19.7% — 82.6% 278
2025 Q2 272 223 49 18.0% 100.0% 91.3% 264
2025 Q1 237 183 54 22.8% — 92.6% 283
2024 Q4 213 176 37 17.4% — 96.4% 233
2024 Q3 218 175 43 19.7% — 82.5% 239
2024 Q2 230 198 32 13.9% — 79.0% 241
2024 Q1 209 161 48 23.0% 0.0% 83.6% 226
2023 Q4 257 198 59 23.0% 50.0% 89.3% 234
2023 Q3 273 216 57 20.9% — 80.6% 244
2023 Q2 238 201 37 15.5% — 82.2% 272
2023 Q1 223 175 48 21.5% — 75.9% 257
2022 Q4 273 223 50 18.3% 100.0% 82.5% 287
2022 Q3 249 198 51 20.5% 0.0% 89.2% 299
2022 Q2 287 220 67 23.3% 100.0% 91.8% 263
2022 Q1 237 188 49 20.7% — 79.7% 290
2021 Q4 268 216 52 19.4% 50.0% 92.2% 285
2021 Q3 340 272 68 20.0% 0.0% 94.1% 330
2021 Q2 300 247 53 17.7% 100.0% 80.2% 344
2021 Q1 243 192 51 21.0% 100.0% 90.0% 299
2020 Q4 288 225 63 21.9% 80.0% 85.7% 263
2020 Q3 238 195 43 18.1% — 83.9% 278
2020 Q2 259 209 50 19.3% — 78.0% 246
2020 Q1 257 213 44 17.1% 0.0% 80.9% 292
2019 Q4 258 221 37 14.3% 0.0% 81.0% 307
2019 Q3 281 243 38 13.5% 100.0% 85.5% 309
2019 Q2 256 221 35 13.7% 0.0% 95.0% 303
2019 Q1 273 240 33 12.1% 25.0% 91.8% 309
2018 Q4 285 225 60 21.1% 100.0% 89.2% 319
2018 Q3 296 237 59 19.9% 100.0% 86.3% 287
2018 Q2 314 270 44 14.0% 80.0% 91.9% 342
2018 Q1 282 218 64 22.7% 100.0% 88.0% 355
2017 Q4 296 245 51 17.2% — 93.3% 338
2017 Q3 325 260 65 20.0% 100.0% 97.0% 329
2017 Q2 375 290 85 22.7% 100.0% 78.7% 355
2017 Q1 343 270 73 21.3% 40.0% 68.5% 451
2016 Q4 375 309 66 17.6% 71.4% 62.6% 354
2016 Q3 400 313 87 21.8% 80.0% 65.8% 466
2016 Q2 365 306 59 16.2% 77.8% 71.1% 413
2016 Q1 319 266 53 16.6% 62.5% 61.8% 377
2015 Q4 456 391 65 14.3% 16.7% 76.3% 380
2015 Q3 426 355 71 16.7% 0.0% 76.8% 508
2015 Q2 347 290 57 16.4% 100.0% 75.8% 450
2015 Q1 365 305 60 16.4% 50.0% 77.4% 433
2014 Q4 385 334 51 13.2% 85.7% 80.2% 458
2014 Q3 373 317 56 15.0% 60.0% 87.8% 414
2014 Q2 371 325 46 12.4% 0.0% 88.6% 405
2014 Q1 338 229 56 16.6% 66.7% 84.2% 453
2013 Q4 369 281 64 17.3% 64.3% 78.7% 365
2013 Q3 379 276 55 14.5% 44.4% 85.7% 398
2013 Q2 382 282 65 17.0% 52.4% 80.0% 415
2013 Q1 327 260 43 13.1% 33.3% 69.0% 351
2012 Q4 392 307 52 13.3% 55.6% 57.7% 403
2012 Q3 365 281 53 14.5% 43.8% 45.2% 390
2012 Q2 373 303 39 10.5% 31.6% 35.7% 435
2012 Q1 386 307 67 17.4% 24.4% 48.6% 439
2011 Q4 398 339 44 11.1% 27.3% 59.6% 408
2011 Q3 433 354 68 15.7% 38.7% 83.4% 467
2011 Q2 352 269 61 17.3% 93.8% 93.7% 525
2011 Q1 333 251 68 20.4% 75.0% 94.2% 441
2010 Q4 397 296 85 21.4% 46.7% 90.0% 402
2010 Q3 377 285 69 18.3% 53.3% 90.8% 430
2010 Q2 314 238 59 18.8% 46.2% 78.3% 362
2010 Q1 266 210 48 18.0% 66.7% 77.8% 340
2009 Q4 291 213 68 23.4% 62.5% 91.7% 375
2009 Q3 295 217 65 22.0% 68.8% 89.4% 345
2009 Q2 236 166 65 27.5% 50.0% 84.7% 293
2009 Q1 283 216 59 20.8% 25.0% 89.4% 293
2008 Q4 392 315 67 17.1% 63.6% 92.3% 410
2008 Q3 360 287 67 18.6% 58.3% 86.6% 380
2008 Q2 304 257 34 11.2% 44.8% 80.0% 394
2008 Q1 248 196 30 12.1% 78.6% 82.8% 311
2007 Q4 285 216 48 16.8% 60.0% 87.6% 294
2007 Q3 381 314 47 12.3% 38.9% 85.2% 381
2007 Q2 288 224 46 16.0% 55.6% 81.7% 371
2007 Q1 268 217 34 12.7% 40.0% 84.1% 368
2006 Q4 271 222 26 9.6% 46.2% 86.0% 315
2006 Q3 262 210 33 12.6% 56.3% 80.7% 270
2006 Q2 282 230 36 12.8% 19.0% 70.6% 304
2006 Q1 210 181 19 9.0% 14.3% 73.8% 303
2005 Q4 263 212 34 12.9% 15.4% 78.0% 284
2005 Q3 303 261 27 8.9% 50.0% 81.0% 320
2005 Q2 274 238 27 9.9% 60.0% 80.6% 379
2005 Q1 222 181 29 13.1% 60.0% 76.2% 311
2004 Q4 242 195 35 14.5% 66.7% 83.3% 304
2004 Q3 233 197 30 12.9% 66.7% 75.0% 334
2004 Q2 246 215 25 10.2% 63.6% 84.8% 304
2004 Q1 226 176 46 20.4% 93.8% 86.9% 371
2003 Q4 229 172 47 20.5% 62.5% 72.4% 265
2003 Q3 275 210 41 14.9% 31.6% 68.2% 344
2003 Q2 279 231 24 8.6% 58.3% 56.1% 360
2003 Q1 236 180 27 11.4% 45.0% 52.6% 400
2002 Q4 238 203 22 9.2% 41.7% 46.9% 363
2002 Q3 264 216 19 7.2% 60.0% 58.2% 429
2002 Q2 276 211 25 9.1% 36.8% 60.7% 386
2002 Q1 288 238 20 6.9% 63.2% 63.6% 380
2001 Q4 196 174 8 4.1% 55.6% 55.4% 373
2001 Q3 238 196 18 7.6% 35.0% 66.7% 382
2001 Q2 268 228 20 7.5% 55.6% 62.6% 338
2001 Q1 315 268 16 5.1% 60.9% 72.4% 408
2000 Q4 266 228 18 6.8% 73.3% 64.1% 300
2000 Q3 297 270 21 7.1% 45.8% 40.6% 374
2000 Q2 308 228 18 5.8% 50.0% 64.3% 442
2000 Q1 300 266 9 3.0% 73.9% 71.2% 481
1999 Q4 331 257 19 5.7% 66.7% 57.3% 385
1999 Q3 289 222 19 6.6% 52.9% 65.3% 405
1999 Q2 272 224 7 2.6% 30.8% 76.4% 370
1999 Q1 235 181 16 6.8% 64.7% 72.2% 362
1998 Q4 323 279 13 4.0% 66.7% 81.5% 355
1998 Q3 296 223 23 7.8% 76.9% 72.8% 378
1998 Q2 256 203 10 3.9% 43.8% 63.8% 377
1996 Q1 255 217 38 14.9% 60.0% 72.4% —
1995 Q4 272 233 39 14.3% 100.0% 75.0% —
1995 Q3 307 262 45 14.7% 33.3% 72.8% —
1995 Q2 343 301 42 12.2% 50.0% 73.9% —
1995 Q1 244 210 34 13.9% 28.6% 68.9% —
1994 Q4 321 273 48 15.0% 100.0% 68.5% —
1994 Q3 201 168 33 16.4% 0.0% 62.1% —
1994 Q2 340 284 56 16.5% 50.0% 58.4% —
1994 Q1 275 224 51 18.5% 60.0% 49.0% —
1993 Q4 290 253 37 12.8% 100.0% 57.6% —
1993 Q3 251 218 33 13.1% 0.0% 51.9% —
1993 Q2 273 226 47 17.2% 100.0% 58.9% —
1993 Q1 205 169 36 17.6% — 70.2% —
1992 Q4 379 326 53 14.0% 0.0% 48.6% —
1992 Q3 324 276 48 14.8% 0.0% 51.8% —
1992 Q2 283 244 39 13.8% 100.0% 60.5% —
1992 Q1 268 216 52 19.4% 71.4% 67.1% —
1991 Q4 278 238 40 14.4% 0.0% 56.4% —
1991 Q3 313 266 47 15.0% 50.0% 54.0% —
1991 Q2 284 231 53 18.7% 33.3% 53.4% —
1991 Q1 332 268 64 19.3% 42.9% 52.0% —
1990 Q4 347 260 87 25.1% 40.0% 42.3% —
1990 Q3 312 232 80 25.6% 60.0% 52.9% —
1990 Q2 322 247 75 23.3% 50.0% 59.1% —
1990 Q1 356 264 92 25.8% 66.7% 54.3% —
1989 Q4 349 251 98 28.1% 28.6% 45.5% —
1989 Q3 384 278 106 27.6% 54.5% 53.2% —
1989 Q2 460 345 115 25.0% 18.2% 50.2% —
1989 Q1 454 321 133 29.3% 33.3% 43.8% —
1988 Q4 433 293 140 32.3% 57.1% 41.0% —
1988 Q3 358 258 100 27.9% 50.0% 26.7% —
1988 Q2 331 233 98 29.6% 33.3% 54.5% —
1988 Q1 320 260 60 18.8% 14.3% 36.9% —
1987 Q4 274 224 50 18.2% 42.9% 46.4% —
1987 Q3 304 248 56 18.4% 50.0% 54.9% —
1987 Q2 283 227 56 19.8% 33.3% 65.2% —
1987 Q1 260 215 45 17.3% 0.0% 31.6% —
1986 Q4 209 156 53 25.4% 66.7% 14.4% —
1986 Q3 216 175 41 19.0% 66.7% 10.8% —
1986 Q2 193 145 48 24.9% 33.3% 24.2% —
1986 Q1 201 152 49 24.4% 33.3% 38.9% —
1985 Q4 159 133 26 16.4% 0.0% 47.4% —
1985 Q3 209 170 39 18.7% 66.7% 40.0% —
1985 Q2 160 136 24 15.0% 100.0% 65.2% —
1985 Q1 175 148 27 15.4% 83.3% 70.0% —
1984 Q4 181 155 26 14.4% 100.0% 47.7% —
1984 Q3 201 162 39 19.4% 100.0% 54.7% —
1984 Q2 162 137 25 15.4% 100.0% 65.7% —
1984 Q1 225 191 34 15.1% 80.0% 48.1% —
1983 Q4 184 156 28 15.2% 100.0% 69.9% —
1983 Q3 189 161 28 14.8% 100.0% 68.6% —
1983 Q2 197 171 26 13.2% 100.0% 65.3% —
1983 Q1 176 152 24 13.6% 100.0% 66.2% —

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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