UK planning applications in Microsoft Excel
Pull planning applications into a worksheet, either as a refreshable query or a one-off file.
Plota brings UK planning applications from 389 council planning portals into one classified, source-linked dataset. Pull it into Microsoft Excel and you are working with consistent fields across every authority - the same category, decision stage and consent route whichever council published the record, with each council's own wording kept alongside - so a comparison across areas is a like-for-like one rather than an exercise in reconciling council vocabularies.
Before you start
- Get an API key. A free demo key reads the search endpoint, so you can check the fields against your own patch before paying; bulk export is Starter and above.
- Decide which councils, categories and date range you want. Every filter in the API docs works here.
How to load Plota data into Microsoft Excel
Option A - a refreshable query
Excel runs the same Power Query engine as Power BI. Data → Get Data → From Other Sources → Blank Query → Advanced Editor:
let
Source = Json.Document(Web.Contents("https://api.plota.co.uk/v1/applications", [
Query = [council = "wandsworth", limit = "100"],
Headers = [#"Authorization" = "Bearer plota_live_your_key"]
])),
Rows = Table.FromRecords(Source[data])
in
RowsSet the date types before you load
Power Query brings the dates in as text. Set date_received, date_validated, date_decided and the expanded key_dates columns to Date, or every PivotTable you build will group them alphabetically. date_decided is blank on undecided applications, which is the correct answer, not a gap to fill.
Option B - a one-off file
The export endpoint returns the whole set as a single CSV rather than a page. Starter and above; a demo key gets a 403:
curl -X POST "https://api.plota.co.uk/v1/exports" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer plota_live_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"council":"wandsworth","format":"csv","limit":5000}' \
-o planning.csvRefresh without re-downloading everything
On a saved query, set changed_since to the largest changed_at you already hold and Excel pulls only what has moved. Data → Refresh All, or schedule it through Power Automate. The change feed is on the Pro plan and above.
Rather not touch Power Query?
The CSV builder in your dashboard does the same job with no code and no API call: filter by council, category, date range and status, see the row count before you commit, and download the file. Same records, same columns as the query above. Included on every paid plan within your monthly row allowance - Starter covers the last 12 months, Pro and above the full archive. See how the spreadsheet workflow works.
Check the data against the source
Every row carries plota_url and, where the council publishes one, council_url. Keep both in your model: anyone questioning a figure can open the official council record from the row rather than taking the number on trust. Coverage and last-checked times for every authority are on the coverage page.
Microsoft Excel integration FAQ
Can I get UK planning applications into Microsoft Excel?
Yes. Microsoft Excel reads the Plota API directly, so no automation platform sits in between. Each record carries the planning reference, authority, address, description, classified category, consent route, status, received / validated / decision dates, coordinates, and links to the official council source and the Plota page.
Do I need to write code to connect Plota to Microsoft Excel?
No code beyond the query itself. You point Microsoft Excel at the Plota endpoint with your API key, choose the councils, categories and date range you want, and the fields arrive already normalised across authorities.
What planning data comes through to Microsoft Excel?
Every row carries the reference, authority, address, postcode, description, Plota's classified category, consent route, status and stage, the received / validated / decision dates, the key statutory dates, latitude and longitude, dwelling count where stated, the Plota page URL and the official council source URL.
How do I keep the data in Microsoft Excel up to date?
Pass changed_since with the timestamp of your last successful run. Plota returns only the records whose content has changed since then - a new status, a decision, a new document, a revised description - so a scheduled refresh stays small and does not re-pull records that have not moved.
How current is the planning data?
Plota checks UK council planning portals daily and classifies new applications, so a refresh in Microsoft Excel reflects what councils published rather than a periodic manual gather.
Is the Microsoft Excel integration free?
You can test the API with a free demo key. Production pulls into Microsoft Excel run on the Starter plan and above; Plota's public planning search and email alerts stay free.