Southwark: planning permission approval rate
What is the planning permission approval rate in Southwark?
In the year to December 2025, Southwark council granted 91% of its planning decisions — 1,452 approvals out of 1,589 decisions — 4 percentage points above the England average of 87%. Its Gera Planning Approval Index is 91/100 (rank #132 of 310). Source: MHCLG, published 18 December 2025.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) — Planning Application Statistics · Year ending December 2025 · published 18 December 2025. Updated quarterly (last refreshed 2026-06-18).
| Applications received | 1,731 |
|---|---|
| Decisions made | 1,589 |
| Decisions granted | 1,452 |
| Approval rate | 91% (England 87%) |
| Delegated to officers | 90% |
| Gera Planning Approval Index | 91/100 (#132 of 310) |
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Approval rate in Southwark
91%
4 pts above the England average (87%).
Gera Planning Approval Index
91 / 100
Ranked #132 of 310 authorities.
Decisions made (yr to Dec 2025)
1,589
1,452 granted.
Single-storey rear extensions within size limits are frequently permitted development for houses — but limits are tighter for flats, listed buildings, and conservation areas. Confirm with your council.
Approval rate and index are this authority’s record across all decision types (year ending December 2025, MHCLG live table P134) — not a prediction for your specific application, and not broken down by project type. Permitted-development guidance is general (England); always confirm with your council or a planning professional.
Frequently asked questions
What is the planning permission approval rate in Southwark?
Southwark council granted 91% of its planning decisions in the year to December 2025 (1,452 of 1,589 decisions), above the England average of 87%. Source: MHCLG, published 18 December 2025.
How many planning applications did Southwark decide?
Southwark made 1,589 planning decisions in the year to December 2025, from 1,731 applications received. 90% of decisions were delegated to planning officers.
What is Southwark's Gera Planning Approval Index?
Southwark scores 91/100 on the Gera Planning Approval Index, ranking #132 of 310 English local planning authorities. The Gera Planning Approval Index (GPAI) is computed transparently from two real MHCLG figures for each local planning authority: the percentage of planning decisions granted (weighted 70%) and the percentage of decisions delegated to planning officers (weighted 30%). GPAI = round(0.70 × granted% + 0.30 × delegated%), on a 0–100 scale. A higher score means an authority where applications are both more likely to be approved and more likely to be handled efficiently by officers rather than held for committee. It is a descriptive index of the published year-ending-December-2025 record, not a prediction of any individual application’s outcome.
How long does planning permission take?
Nationally, 90% of major applications were decided within 13 weeks or an agreed time, and 88% of minor applications within 8 weeks or an agreed time (MHCLG, July–September 2025). Per-authority speed varies; check your council directly.
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How the Gera Planning Approval Index is calculated
The Gera Planning Approval Index (GPAI) is computed transparently from two real MHCLG figures for each local planning authority: the percentage of planning decisions granted (weighted 70%) and the percentage of decisions delegated to planning officers (weighted 30%). GPAI = round(0.70 × granted% + 0.30 × delegated%), on a 0–100 scale. A higher score means an authority where applications are both more likely to be approved and more likely to be handled efficiently by officers rather than held for committee. It is a descriptive index of the published year-ending-December-2025 record, not a prediction of any individual application’s outcome.
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Source: Planning Application Statistics — live table P134 (district planning authorities), year ending December 2025. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), published 18 December 2025, fetched 2026-06-18. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The approval rate is Southwark’s published record across all decision types — not a prediction for any individual application, and not broken down by project type.