New Forest National Park planning statistics
Householder applications decided in the year to June 2026, compared with the rest of England.
How long does planning permission take in New Forest National Park?
New Forest National Park decided 52.5% of householder applications within 8 weeks without an extension in the year to June 2026, against 62.7% across England.
New Forest National Park is highlighted on the map. See on the map
Within 8 weeks, no extension
52.5%
224th of 297
10.2 points slower than England
Granted
90.8%
174th of 297
In line with England
Extension of time
35.9%
191st of 297
3.6 points higher than England
Decisions (12 months)
295
New Forest National Park decided 295 householder applications in the year to June 2026, granting 90.8%.
52.5% were decided within 8 weeks with no extension, against 62.7% across England (224th of 297 for speed).
A further 35.9% were decided under an extension of time agreed with the applicant.
That is up from 38.8% a year earlier.
Of 14 householder appeals decided in the same period, 71.4% were allowed.
How quickly decisions are made
New Forest National Park against England, share of householder decisions each quarter
- Within 8 weeks, no extension
- Extension of time
- England, within 8 weeks
Show data
| Quarter | Within 8 weeks, no extension | Extension of time | England, within 8 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Q1 | 86.4% | 0.0% | 89.5% |
| 2008 Q2 | 88.3% | 0.0% | 89.4% |
| 2008 Q3 | 90.4% | 0.0% | 89.7% |
| 2008 Q4 | 85.5% | 0.0% | 90.3% |
| 2009 Q1 | 89.8% | 0.0% | 90.3% |
| 2009 Q2 | 94.7% | 0.0% | 91.7% |
| 2009 Q3 | 92.8% | 0.0% | 91.4% |
| 2009 Q4 | 90.2% | 0.0% | 91.0% |
| 2010 Q1 | 87.7% | 0.0% | 88.8% |
| 2010 Q2 | 91.5% | 0.0% | 89.8% |
| 2010 Q3 | 90.2% | 0.0% | 88.4% |
| 2010 Q4 | 86.6% | 0.0% | 87.7% |
| 2011 Q1 | 86.4% | 0.0% | 86.4% |
| 2011 Q2 | 85.9% | 0.0% | 85.9% |
| 2011 Q3 | 79.9% | 0.0% | 84.9% |
| 2011 Q4 | 87.9% | 0.0% | 84.9% |
| 2012 Q1 | 92.6% | 0.0% | 83.7% |
| 2012 Q2 | 86.2% | 0.0% | 84.2% |
| 2012 Q3 | 74.0% | 0.0% | 82.9% |
| 2012 Q4 | 87.7% | 0.0% | 85.2% |
| 2013 Q1 | 90.5% | 0.0% | 85.7% |
| 2013 Q2 | 94.5% | 0.0% | 86.3% |
| 2013 Q3 | 92.9% | 0.0% | 85.3% |
| 2013 Q4 | 91.9% | 0.0% | 86.3% |
| 2014 Q1 | 86.6% | 0.0% | 85.4% |
| 2014 Q2 | 93.8% | 0.0% | 84.9% |
| 2014 Q3 | 92.4% | 0.0% | 82.5% |
| 2014 Q4 | 91.4% | 0.0% | 82.1% |
| 2015 Q1 | 97.8% | 0.0% | 80.4% |
| 2015 Q2 | 96.1% | 0.0% | 80.6% |
| 2015 Q3 | 93.3% | 0.0% | 79.2% |
| 2015 Q4 | 94.1% | 0.0% | 80.0% |
| 2016 Q1 | 89.5% | 0.0% | 78.3% |
| 2016 Q2 | 91.7% | 0.8% | 79.8% |
| 2016 Q3 | 95.5% | 0.8% | 77.7% |
| 2016 Q4 | 90.6% | 1.9% | 78.0% |
| 2017 Q1 | 90.9% | 2.0% | 77.3% |
| 2017 Q2 | 88.7% | 4.0% | 78.5% |
| 2017 Q3 | 83.9% | 5.6% | 76.1% |
| 2017 Q4 | 92.7% | 2.4% | 77.1% |
| 2018 Q1 | 88.5% | 6.2% | 73.7% |
| 2018 Q2 | 94.2% | 1.0% | 74.0% |
| 2018 Q3 | 91.2% | 7.2% | 72.7% |
| 2018 Q4 | 83.0% | 12.3% | 72.7% |
| 2019 Q1 | 87.7% | 7.9% | 69.9% |
| 2019 Q2 | 91.7% | 5.0% | 72.1% |
| 2019 Q3 | 85.6% | 9.3% | 69.6% |
| 2019 Q4 | 83.3% | 16.7% | 71.5% |
| 2020 Q1 | 81.8% | 18.2% | 68.4% |
| 2020 Q2 | 83.3% | 16.7% | 63.9% |
| 2020 Q3 | 80.3% | 17.3% | 63.8% |
| 2020 Q4 | 83.2% | 16.8% | 65.3% |
| 2021 Q1 | 78.1% | 21.1% | 59.4% |
| 2021 Q2 | 77.2% | 19.2% | 58.4% |
| 2021 Q3 | 79.7% | 19.6% | 53.1% |
| 2021 Q4 | 73.5% | 23.1% | 53.0% |
| 2022 Q1 | 60.0% | 30.6% | 51.6% |
| 2022 Q2 | 61.7% | 22.6% | 56.0% |
| 2022 Q3 | 55.8% | 27.9% | 53.3% |
| 2022 Q4 | 24.3% | 71.4% | 54.1% |
| 2023 Q1 | 29.1% | 61.2% | 53.5% |
| 2023 Q2 | 39.7% | 52.6% | 58.5% |
| 2023 Q3 | 54.0% | 38.0% | 59.0% |
| 2023 Q4 | 64.4% | 33.3% | 59.8% |
| 2024 Q1 | 64.3% | 31.0% | 58.8% |
| 2024 Q2 | 64.3% | 27.4% | 64.4% |
| 2024 Q3 | 45.3% | 49.3% | 64.2% |
| 2024 Q4 | 45.7% | 46.7% | 65.6% |
| 2025 Q1 | 28.9% | 65.8% | 62.1% |
| 2025 Q2 | 33.8% | 51.9% | 65.0% |
| 2025 Q3 | 33.7% | 40.4% | 62.5% |
| 2025 Q4 | 60.8% | 33.8% | 64.7% |
| 2026 Q1 | 54.8% | 43.8% | 60.6% |
| 2026 Q2 | 67.8% | 22.0% | 62.7% |
Share of applications granted
New Forest National Park against England
- New Forest National Park
- England
Show data
| Quarter | New Forest National Park | England |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Q1 | 81.7% | 85.1% |
| 2008 Q2 | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2008 Q3 | 82.8% | 86.3% |
| 2008 Q4 | 85.5% | 85.3% |
| 2009 Q1 | 78.1% | 85.9% |
| 2009 Q2 | 84.8% | 86.8% |
| 2009 Q3 | 90.1% | 87.4% |
| 2009 Q4 | 92.9% | 86.9% |
| 2010 Q1 | 87.7% | 87.0% |
| 2010 Q2 | 89.4% | 88.0% |
| 2010 Q3 | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2010 Q4 | 83.4% | 87.5% |
| 2011 Q1 | 76.3% | 87.9% |
| 2011 Q2 | 78.1% | 88.5% |
| 2011 Q3 | 78.4% | 88.3% |
| 2011 Q4 | 75.9% | 88.3% |
| 2012 Q1 | 82.4% | 88.2% |
| 2012 Q2 | 83.3% | 89.2% |
| 2012 Q3 | 77.2% | 89.0% |
| 2012 Q4 | 82.5% | 88.9% |
| 2013 Q1 | 87.9% | 89.8% |
| 2013 Q2 | 93.7% | 90.6% |
| 2013 Q3 | 91.2% | 90.3% |
| 2013 Q4 | 90.9% | 89.6% |
| 2014 Q1 | 82.5% | 89.8% |
| 2014 Q2 | 93.1% | 90.5% |
| 2014 Q3 | 83.9% | 90.0% |
| 2014 Q4 | 93.8% | 89.2% |
| 2015 Q1 | 87.0% | 89.3% |
| 2015 Q2 | 90.3% | 90.2% |
| 2015 Q3 | 88.6% | 90.0% |
| 2015 Q4 | 86.1% | 89.2% |
| 2016 Q1 | 86.7% | 90.0% |
| 2016 Q2 | 87.9% | 90.3% |
| 2016 Q3 | 92.5% | 90.2% |
| 2016 Q4 | 85.8% | 89.7% |
| 2017 Q1 | 87.9% | 89.9% |
| 2017 Q2 | 91.9% | 90.5% |
| 2017 Q3 | 83.1% | 90.0% |
| 2017 Q4 | 90.2% | 90.1% |
| 2018 Q1 | 85.8% | 90.5% |
| 2018 Q2 | 87.4% | 91.0% |
| 2018 Q3 | 88.0% | 91.2% |
| 2018 Q4 | 86.8% | 90.5% |
| 2019 Q1 | 87.7% | 90.3% |
| 2019 Q2 | 86.8% | 91.0% |
| 2019 Q3 | 89.8% | 90.6% |
| 2019 Q4 | 90.6% | 89.8% |
| 2020 Q1 | 89.9% | 89.9% |
| 2020 Q2 | 89.2% | 90.2% |
| 2020 Q3 | 94.5% | 90.6% |
| 2020 Q4 | 95.8% | 90.3% |
| 2021 Q1 | 90.4% | 90.9% |
| 2021 Q2 | 93.4% | 91.2% |
| 2021 Q3 | 90.6% | 91.0% |
| 2021 Q4 | 94.9% | 90.1% |
| 2022 Q1 | 94.1% | 90.0% |
| 2022 Q2 | 95.5% | 90.4% |
| 2022 Q3 | 91.3% | 89.8% |
| 2022 Q4 | 92.9% | 89.4% |
| 2023 Q1 | 99.0% | 89.3% |
| 2023 Q2 | 93.1% | 89.2% |
| 2023 Q3 | 94.0% | 88.6% |
| 2023 Q4 | 93.1% | 88.2% |
| 2024 Q1 | 92.9% | 88.2% |
| 2024 Q2 | 100.0% | 89.1% |
| 2024 Q3 | 97.3% | 89.4% |
| 2024 Q4 | 96.7% | 88.6% |
| 2025 Q1 | 97.4% | 89.3% |
| 2025 Q2 | 97.4% | 90.4% |
| 2025 Q3 | 94.4% | 90.1% |
| 2025 Q4 | 90.5% | 90.1% |
| 2026 Q1 | 83.6% | 90.6% |
| 2026 Q2 | 94.9% | 91.0% |
How long decisions took
Householder decisions over the last 12 months
- Within 8 weeks52.5%
- 8 to 13 weeks6.8%
- 13 to 26 weeks3.1%
- Over 26 weeks1.7%
- Extension of time agreed35.9%
Show data
| Time taken | Decisions |
|---|---|
| Within 8 weeks | 155 |
| 8 to 13 weeks | 20 |
| 13 to 26 weeks | 9 |
| Over 26 weeks | 5 |
| Extension of time agreed | 106 |
Appeals
- Decided
- 14
- Allowed
- 71.4%
- Median wait
- 15 weeks
Householder appeals to the Planning Inspectorate decided in the same 12 months. England: 34.4% allowed.
Refusals overturned at appeal
26.6% of refusals were later overturned at appeal (July 2021 to June 2026): 29 appeals allowed against 107 refusals.
Split decisions count as half.
2nd highest of 299 planning authorities. England: 8.9% (July 2021 to June 2026).
Householder refusals from MHCLG table PS2; appeals allowed from the Planning Inspectorate. Approximate: appeals decided in the period, which can relate to earlier refusals.
Larger home extensions (prior approval)
The larger home extension scheme doesn't apply in national parks, so extensions beyond the normal limits need a planning application.
MHCLG live table PDR 1.
Enforcement
5 planning enforcement notices issued in the year to June 2026.
Per-home figures are not available for national park authorities.
Covers all types of development, not only extensions.
MHCLG table P130; homes from the VOA Council Tax stock of properties.
Protected areas
25 conservation areas: -1.480799 50.822752, -1.544024 50.901376, -1.575133 50.865871, -1.576057 50.822621, -1.580347 50.940828, -1.60226 50.905025, -1.710941 50.847047, -1.760203 50.961789, -1.770201 50.926548, Bank, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst and 13 more.
22 Article 4 areas: 263 Woodlands Road, Bransgore House, Forest Lane Farm, Hovercraft in the Solent, Land adj A36, Land Adj A36, Land at Bashley, Land at Cottage Plantation, Land at Football Green, Land at Forest Lane Farm, Land at Hatchet Green, Land at Holmsley, South Aerodrome and 10 more.
Both can remove permitted development rights, so check with the council before relying on them. Permitted development rules
To check one postcode for a conservation area, listed buildings nearby, flood zone and radon, use the address check.
planning.data.gov.uk.
Builders
Builder counts are not available for national park authorities.
ONS UK Business Counts; homes from the VOA Council Tax stock of properties; decisions from MHCLG table PS2.
Compared with neighbouring councils
Decisions and approvals in the year to June 2026; overturns over each council's appeal window; builders per 1,000 homes in 2026.
Decided within 8 weeks, no extension
- New Forest National Park52.5%
- Wiltshire53.7%
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole52.5%
- New Forest76.7%
- Test Valley79.6%
- England62.7%
Granted
- New Forest National Park90.8%
- Wiltshire95.5%
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole87.2%
- New Forest96.0%
- Test Valley96.7%
- England90.5%
Refusals overturned at appeal
- New Forest National Park26.6%
- Wiltshire7.3%
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole10.0%
- New Forest8.5%
- Test Valley8.8%
- England8.9%
Registered building firms per 1,000 homes
- New Forest National ParkNo data
- Wiltshire10.2
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole11.6
- New Forest11.7
- Test Valley11.1
- England median10.1
Questions about planning in New Forest National Park
How long does planning permission take in New Forest National Park?
New Forest National Park decided 52.5% of householder applications within 8 weeks without an extension in the year to June 2026, against 62.7% across England.
Is my house in a conservation area in New Forest National Park?
25 conservation areas: -1.480799 50.822752, -1.544024 50.901376, -1.575133 50.865871, -1.576057 50.822621, -1.580347 50.940828, -1.60226 50.905025, -1.710941 50.847047, -1.760203 50.961789, -1.770201 50.926548, Bank, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst and 13 more. Most councils publish a conservation area map showing whether a street is inside one.
How many builders are there in New Forest National Park?
Builder counts are not available for national park authorities.
Do I need planning permission for an extension in New Forest National Park?
Many extensions can be built under permitted development without an application, but conservation areas and Article 4 directions can remove those rights, so check whether your address is in a conservation area or covered by an Article 4 direction before relying on them. Do you need planning permission?
Property prices and energy performance in New Forest National Park
Homes sold July 2023 to June 2026, matched to the floor area and energy rating on their Energy Performance Certificate.
Median price per m²
£5,339
1,045 sales
60% above England and Wales
Homes sold rated EPC A to C
34.5%
Median energy score 64
15.1 points below England and Wales
Value added by extending, per m²
£3,482
26.2% on the sale price
83% above England and Wales
Energy upgrade, no extension
+5.7%
Sale-price uplift when the energy score rose 5+ points
In line with England and Wales
The median home sold in New Forest National Park was £635,000 for 117 m² of floor space. Price per m² is up 40% since 2015 (£3,876 to £5,414 per m², 2025). Across all 9,895 homes with a certificate, 29.6% are rated A to C on their latest one.
180 houses here were extended between two sales (second sale 2016 to 2026), adding a median 37 m². They sold for a median 26.2% more than similar unextended houses, £3,482 for each m² added. Will an extension pay for itself here?
Medians from HM Land Registry sale prices and MHCLG Energy Performance Certificates; groups under 30 sales or 50 extended houses are not shown. These describe past sales across many homes, not a valuation of any one. How these are worked out
Next steps for your extension
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