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Guide

Planning Application Data API for UK Properties

UK planning data is theoretically public but practically fragmented across 300+ local planning authorities. This guide covers how planning.data.gov.uk is standardising it, what API options exist, and how to access planning history and constraints for any UPRN.

The planning data landscape

In England, planning applications are submitted to local planning authorities (LPAs), processed under the Town and Country Planning Act, and published on the LPA's website. Historically, every LPA used a different system (Idox, Northgate, Uniform, home-built) with different data schemas — making cross-authority querying essentially impossible without scraping.

planning.data.gov.uk — launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities — is changing this. It standardises planning data across LPAs and publishes it as open data under an API. As of 2026, most English LPAs submit data to the platform, though coverage and freshness vary.

What planning data covers

For a given property, planning data includes:

  • Applications — reference number, application type (full, outline, prior approval, listed building consent, etc.), decision (approved, refused, withdrawn, appeal), decision date
  • Constraints — conservation area, listed building grade, tree preservation order, Article 4 direction, flood zone
  • Site designations — Green Belt, SSSI, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Scheduled Monument

Accessing planning data via the Homedata API

The Homedata planning endpoint normalises data from planning.data.gov.uk and returns it as structured JSON for any UPRN, alongside EPC, flood risk, and comparable sales data — reducing the number of API integrations your application needs. 

GET /api/properties/10023456789/planning/
Authorization: Api-Key YOUR_KEY

{
  "uprn": "10023456789",
  "applications": [
    {
      "reference": "2022/01234/FULL",
      "type": "full",
      "description": "Single storey rear extension",
      "decision": "approved",
      "decision_date": "2022-09-14"
    }
  ],
  "constraints": {
    "conservation_area": false,
    "listed_building": false,
    "listed_building_grade": null,
    "tree_preservation_order": false,
    "flood_zone": "1"
  }
}

Use cases

  • Proptech developers — surface planning history on property report pages without scraping individual council websites.
  • Architects and planning consultants — instantly check constraints before submitting an application.
  • Property developers — screen development sites for restrictions before making offers.
  • Conveyancers — verify planning status as part of due diligence without manual local authority searches.
  • Surveyors — flag listed building status and conservation area constraints in valuation reports.

Pricing

Planning lookups via the Homedata API cost 1 call per UPRN. Free tier: 100 calls/month. Paid plans from £49/month.

Frequently asked questions

How do I access UK planning application data via API?

Via planning.data.gov.uk directly, or via the Homedata API which normalises and returns planning data as structured JSON for any UPRN.

Is UK planning application data free?

Government planning data is open data. Aggregated APIs charge for the normalisation and reliability layer. Homedata offers a free tier with 100 calls/month.

What planning data is available via Homedata?

Application history (type, decision, date), planning constraints (conservation area, listed building, TPO, Article 4), and flood zone designations.

Can I look up planning permission for any property?

Yes — pass a UPRN to the planning endpoint. Coverage is strongest for English LPAs; Welsh coverage is expanding.