Transparency data

How to use the list of planning objections

Updated 25 August 2023

1. About the list

The flood risk data shows:

• initial flood risk objections made by the Environment Agency from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2023
• local planning authority (LPA) planning decisions recorded by the Environment Agency from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2023, for applications where an initial flood risk objection had been made – including cases where the initial objection was made before 1 April 2016
• if Environment Agency flood risk advice was followed

Note: this means the list of applications objected to on flood risk grounds before 2016 to 2017 is incomplete.

The water quality data includes all initial water quality objections made by the Environment Agency from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

The list will be updated each year with the latest data, including:

• all flood risk and water quality initial objections made by the Environment Agency during the latest financial year
• all LPA planning decisions recorded by the Environment Agency during the latest financial year, regardless of when the initial flood risk objection was made

2. How to use the list

You can filter the flood risk data by any or all of the following factors:

• local planning authority
• development type or description
• residential units
• the year the initial Environment Agency flood risk objection was made
• the year the Environment Agency recorded the LPA decision
• if Environment Agency flood risk advice was followed or if the outcome is currently unknown

For example, you can filter the data for initial flood risk objections made in a particular year for a given LPA.

Get more information on an individual case by using the link for the LPA’s website and searching for the application using the LPA reference.

3. Summary of what the list shows

Between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023:

• 96.3% of applications were decided in line with Environment Agency flood risk advice
• 99.3% of homes included in planning applications were decided in line with Environment Agency flood risk advice
• 267 homes were granted planning permission against Environment Agency flood risk advice

Between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2023:

• 95.9% of applications were decided in line with Environment Agency flood risk advice
• 98.7% of homes included in planning applications were decided in line with Environment Agency flood risk advice
• 2,947 homes were granted planning permission against Environment Agency advice

There’s more data and analysis in the Environment Agency’s flood and coastal erosion risk management annual report.

4. Appeals and other types of planning decisions

In some cases, applicants appeal against the LPA decision. The Planning Inspectorate publish these decisions on the appeals casework portal. LPAs also usually record appeal decisions on their planning public access website.

Some cases are taken over (‘called in’) and decided by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. See information on planning applications: called in decisions and recovered appeals.

The grant of planning permission does not necessarily mean the development will go ahead.

5. How the Environment Agency uses sampling

The Environment Agency records the LPA’s final decision for a sample of those applications on which it is consulted. For example, for the 7 years of flood risk data shown, the Environment Agency has currently recorded the outcome of about 60% of applications.

The Environment Agency uses a sample to give an indication of the effectiveness of local planning, without detracting from its efforts to positively influence development proposals. The Environment Agency is confident the sample is broadly representative of overall performance.