The Planning London Datahub

The Planning London Datahub (PLD) contains comprehensive, real-time information on planning applications, permissions, commencements, and completions across all London Planning Authorities. It replaces the former London Development Database (LDD), which held only a limited subset of applications and only after permission was granted.

Planning applications enter the PLD as soon as they are validated by boroughs, and the data is updated daily throughout the decision making process. Once permission is granted, the PLD continues to track each development through its construction lifecycle, including the start of works and final completion.

• A single, consistent dataset for London:
  The PLD brings together planning information from all London Planning Authorities, creating a unified and reliable evidence base to support plan making and monitoring across the city.
• More detailed insight into development activity:
  The system captures far more granular information than the former LDD, enabling users to explore proposed developments in depth and generate customised queries and bespoke analytical reports.
• Real‑time planning intelligence:
  Data is updated daily, providing a live picture of planning applications and development proposals. This supports the evidence base for the London Plan and borough Local Plans.
• Fully open and transparent:
  The PLD is publicly accessible, promoting openness, accountability, and collaboration among planners, developers, researchers, and Londoners.
• Programmatic access via API:
  Users can access PLD data through an API, allowing systems and applications to integrate planning data seamlessly. Details can be found in our API connection technical document, and the technical schema provides details of the data fields.

The PLD brings together several key datasets to provide a comprehensive and up‑to‑date picture of development activity across London:

• Live data feeds from borough planning systems
  Realtime connectors automatically transfer planning application information from each London Planning Authority’s back office system into the PLD. This ensures new applications and updates are captured as soon as they are validated.
• Planning applicant submissions
  Information submitted via planning application forms—such as residential unit numbers and other core GLA monitoring requirements—is merged with the application record in the PLD. The GLA collect this data directly from the Planning Portal. Local Authorities review and confirm the accuracy of this information when applications reach the decision stage.
• Development progress data
  For all planning applications that propose new housing or non-residential floorspace, Local Authorities provide annual updates on construction start and completion dates. This allows the PLD to track progress through the development lifecycle.
• Historic London Development Database (LDD) records
  The PLD incorporates approved development data previously recorded in the LDD, including (for example) residential gains and losses of one unit or more, changes to public open space, and major commercial schemes, with records dating back to 2004.

The Planning London Datahub plays a central role in supporting statutory and strategic planning functions across London. Its primary purpose is to provide the dataset required for the Greater London Authority to submit the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Housing Flows Reconciliation (HFR) return on behalf of all London boroughs, ensuring London-wide consistency in monitoring housing delivery.

In addition to this statutory requirement, PLD data also supports a range of wider planning and analytical functions:

• Monitoring the London Plan and borough Local Plans
  The PLD provides a consistent evidence base for assessing how planning policies are performing and where development activity is taking place.
• Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)
  As part of the GLA’s responsibilities, PLD data feeds directly into the London wide SHLAA process which underpins London’s housing targets by identifying where housing capacity exists and how it can be delivered over time.

This process is now supported by LAND4LDN, a digital SHLAA tool that holds live housing supply estimates and enables boroughs and the GLA to collaborate more efficiently. The tool integrates PLD datasets with site assessments, constraints, and development trajectories, ensuring that London’s housing capacity estimates remain accurate, up-to-date, and transparent.

• Demography and population projections
  The GLA draws on PLD data to help inform its population and household forecasts, ensuring projections reflect the most up-to-date development pipeline.
• Infrastructure planning
  Real-time planning and development information helps the GLA plan future infrastructure—such as education, healthcare, transport, and utilities—based on where growth is expected.
• Tools and services for Londoners
  PLD data underpins tools like the Infrastructure Mapping Application (IMA), improving transparency and enabling better decision-making for residents, policymakers, and businesses.
• Environmental and policy monitoring
  Boroughs use the data to assess the effectiveness of their local policies, and because the PLD is publicly accessible, it also supports innovation by SMEs in the “Plantech” sector and increased understanding of the planning system by Londoners.

We take data quality seriously, and it’s important to understand the different stages at which accuracy and consistency are managed within the Planning London Datahub:

• Original submission data
  Planning application data is supplied directly by applicants through the planning application form. While this provides essential baseline information, it may contain inaccuracies or inconsistencies. This data does not include personal information, in line with GLA data protection requirements.
• Borough updates throughout the planning process
  Borough planning officers play a critical role in maintaining data accuracy. They update and verify records at key stages—such as validation, decision, and post-permission updates—to ensure the PLD accurately reflects the final decision and any subsequent development progress.
• GLA quality assurance checks
  The GLA conducts regular dip sampling and targeted quality reviews to identify issues and support ongoing data improvement. While every effort is made to maintain high data quality, the GLA cannot guarantee completeness or accuracy. If you plan to rely on PLD data for detailed analysis or notice any unexpected patterns, please contact us so we can investigate.

The additional questions that are asked on planning applications in London are included in Planning Application Questions Required for the Planning London Datahub.

Advice on answering the new questions is provided in our guidance and justification document.

For a full list of fields in the Planning London Datahub see the document Planning Application Questions Required for the Planning London Datahub.