Building warrant applications

Request data on building warrant applications received, approved, and refused.

Building warrants are required before most construction or alteration work can begin. The numbers show the volume of development activity in your area and how quickly applications are being processed.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total number of building warrant applications received. 2. The number of applications approved and the number refused. 3. The average time taken from application to decision. 4. The number of applications still awaiting a decision as at the end of the period. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Your local council’s building standards department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • Some councils publish building warrant statistics as part of their planning performance reporting. Check the council website before submitting your request.
  • If you are interested in a specific type of development (e.g. housing, commercial, conversions), ask for a breakdown by category.
  • Building warrants are separate from planning permission. If you want planning data, use the planning correspondence template instead.