Planning decisions in South Hams
How long South Hams takes to decide a planning application and how many it approves, from the 921 decisions it made in the twelve months to August 2026. Days run from validation to decision, the clock the council reports against; the wait from receipt is shown beside it. How the figures are made.
49 daysmedian from validation to decision (UK 52); 49 from receipt
78%decided within eight weeks (UK 73%), 94% within thirteen
88%approved (UK 89%): 674 approved, 88 refused, 45 withdrawn
93 of 321UK rank for speed; 207 of 321 for approvals
By kind of application
| Kind | Median days | Within 8 weeks | Approved | Decisions | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full applications (including householder) | 53 | 72% | 94% | 325 | 71 of 302 |
| Discharge of conditions | 37 | 82% | 92% | 123 | 29 of 175 |
| Tree works | 34 | 97% | 88% | 101 | 85 of 259 |
| Amendments | 48 | 75% | 94% | 75 | 199 of 263 |
| Listed building consent | 54 | 77% | 100% | 70 | 42 of 200 |
| Prior approvals | 42 | 96% | 31% | 69 | 96 of 168 |
| Lawful development certificates | 54 | 71% | 91% | 61 | 179 of 253 |
Appeals
69 appeals against South Hams decisions were decided by the Planning Inspectorate in the window, 78 for every 100 refusals; 25% were allowed. Every appeal in South Hams.
By year
| Year decided | Median days | Within 8 weeks | Approved | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 so far | 49 | 78% | 88% | 921 |
Decided in the last three weeks
- 7 Salcombe Heights Close Salcombe TQ8 8ELHouseholder application for alterations and rear extension to dwelling.Refused4 Sept 2026
- Land At Sx 881 504 (Formerly Skyfall) Warfleet DartmouthCertificate of lawfulness to confirm lawful commencement of planning permission 3571/21/FULApproved4 Sept 2026
- The Clock House Bantham TQ7 3ANVariation of condition 2 (approved plans) of planning consent 0535/26/HHOApproved4 Sept 2026
- Blue Ball The Grove TotnesReplacement windows, cladding, and balcony balustradingRefused4 Sept 2026
- Westerpark Town Road East Prawle TQ7 2DDChange of use of buildings (& associated curtilage) to storage (B8 use)Approved4 Sept 2026
- 15 Broadstone Dartmouth TQ6 9NRChange of use of ground floor to residential utility/storage with external façade alterationsApproved4 Sept 2026
- Land at Sx 648 559 (South of Ivybridge Rugby Club) FilhamApplication for permission in principle for the erection of 1no self-build dwelling and associated worksApproved3 Sept 2026
- 5 Anzac Street Dartmouth TQ6 9DLChange of use from Sui Generis Wine Bar and Creperie (formerly tap house and bottle shop) to Class E Restaurant UseApproved3 Sept 2026
Built nightly from South Hams's planning register. Ranks are among the 321 published councils. See planning applications in South Hams, appeals, or get alerts for South Hams.
About these figures
How are decision times measured?
Days from the date the council validated the application to the date it decided it, for applications approved or refused in the window. That is the clock councils report against and the official statistics use. Each council’s page also shows the count from receipt, which is what the applicant actually waited. Withdrawn and undecided applications are not timed.
Why do these figures differ from the council’s own?
Councils count an agreed extension of time as decided on time; we treat the calendar as the calendar. Our figures are also live and rolling, where official statistics are quarterly and annual. So a council’s own within-eight-weeks figure will usually sit a little above ours.
What counts as approved?
Approval rate is approvals divided by approvals plus refusals. Withdrawals, and decisions whose outcome the register does not state, are counted in the totals but not in the rate.
Why is a council missing?
A council is published when it has at least 25 timed decisions in the window and its register’s decision data passes our consistency checks. Councils that fail are listed with the reason rather than shown with a number that would mislead.
How often is this updated?
Nightly, from the decisions we collect from every council register we monitor. The window is the twelve months to the last complete month.