"Strong start" for planning submissions in 2022

55,055 planning applications were submitted in England and Wales during February 2022, according to the Planning Portal.

Managing director Sarah Chilcott said that the year had "started strongly" with numbers "continuing to match and exceed the numbers seen in the last quarter of 2021".

In the Planning Market Insight Report, Chilcott noted that:

• planning fees were also high, with a total of nearly £25 million paid to English authorities over the month;
• 2022 is following a more usual pattern regarding submissions that has been in the last two years;
• the 55,055 submissions figure is 13% more than the figure submitted in January 2022 of 48,625;
• the figure represents a 13% decline on the number submitted in February 2021.

The percentage change in application submissions in February compared to January include:

• North East - 22%;
• North West - 14%;
• Yorkshire and the Humber - 16%;
• East Midlands - 16%;
• West Midlands - 19%;
• East of England - 9%;
• London - 18%;
• South East - 11%;
• South West - 8%;
• Wales - 6%.

In February 2022, planning fees totalled £24,746,133. The report states that "despite the lower volume of applications year-on-year, this was 2% or £433,576 more than was transacted in February 2021".

For more information on this subject, see:

• Planning Market Insight Report from the Planning Portal.