There were 79,600 applications for planning permission in Q1 2026. District level planning authorities decided 68,400 planning permission applications in the period, a fall of 4% on Q1 2025.

Decisions on major housing and commercial developments also dropped to record lows.

Data published by the government covering January to March 2026 shows that total planning applications received continued a long-term downward trend, falling 29% compared with the first quarter of 2016.

The figures also reveal a significant decline in decisions on major developments.

Local planning authorities made just 1,033 decisions on major residential applications during the quarter, the lowest level on record.

That represents a 4% decrease compared with the same period in 2025 and a 44% fall over the past decade.

Meanwhile, decisions on major commercial applications fell to 270 in the first three months of 2026, down 23% year-on-year and 48% lower than a decade ago.

The data comes as the government seeks to accelerate housebuilding and infrastructure delivery through planning reform, with ministers expected to bring forward further changes to the planning system later this year.

Pegasus Group head of planning Paul Burrell said the figures highlighted the impact of policy uncertainty on development activity.

“The continued slowdown in planning applications for major developments has been weighed down by policy uncertainty, which undoubtedly has impacted wider investor confidence to build in the UK right now,” he said.

“Today’s figures underline the extent of that slowdown and the urgency of reform if we are to accelerate housebuilding to make meaningful progress on the housing shortage; but it is also essential for delivering much-needed infrastructure and commercial development to facilitate economic growth.”

Burrell said the forthcoming update to the National Planning Policy Framework would be a key test of the government’s efforts to stimulate development.

“If it delivers a stronger presumption in favour of development, clearer and unequivocal policy direction, and so enabling faster and more consistent decision timelines, it should begin to unlock stalled applications and restore momentum,” he said.

“Greater clarity and consistency will be key to rebuilding developer confidence, ultimately translating into more applications, quicker consents and more homes and infrastructure delivered on the ground.”