Residential planning approvals increased by 9 per cent during the first quarter of 2017.

In England, the number of residential planning approvals increased by 9 per cent during the first quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, to 12,300, according to latest government statistics.

Between January and March 2016, district level planning authorities received 123,300 planning applications, 3 per cent more than the same period in 2016. In total, the statistics from the Department for Communities and Local Government state that 89,500 decisions were granted, an increase of 4 per cent when compared with 2016.

District level planning authorities decided 87 per cent of major applications within 13 weeks or the agreed time. During the first quarter of 2016, the figure was 83 per cent.

According to the statistics, 12,300 residential applications were approved, 1,700 (up 17 per cent year on year) of which were major developments and 10,600 (up by 8 per cent) minor developments.

The number of commercial developments approved was down by 2 per cent to 2,600.

In total, 9,200 applications for prior approval for permitted developments rights were submitted, 2 per cent more than the same period in 2016. The statistics state that 1,400 of these were for changes to residential use, with 1,000 of these approved without going through the full planning process.

In the year ending March 2017, district level planning authorities granted 4 per cent more decisions that in the year ending March 2016, taking the total to 386,000.

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District level planning authorities also:

• Granted 50,100 decisions on residential developments – 6,600 (up 12 per cent) major development decisions and 43,500 minor development decisions (up 6 per cent).