How long does it take to get planning permission?

The claim: A standard housing development takes an average of five years to go through the planning system. Verdict: Developments of more than 1,000 dwellings may take that long, but those are very large. The vast majority of developments are much smaller and do not take that long. Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, wrote an article in the Sunday Telegraph talking about how he wants to change the planning system in England. In the article, he wrote: "Under the current system, it takes an average of five years for a standard housing development to go through the planning system - before a spade is even in the ground."