How many new UK sites appear on planning registers each week?
Lockley counted 449 new sites on UK planning registers in the week to 16 October 2026, against 77 the week before. The count swings, so judge a week against several others.
Written from Lockley's index and the sources below, updated 17 October 2026.
In the week 9 to 16 October 2026, Lockley's index recorded 449 new sites from planning registers. In the week before, 2 to 9 October 2026, it recorded 77. Both counts are by the date on the record, so the same register can give a very different number from one week to the next.
What a new site means for a seller
A planning record names an applicant, a place and a proposal, and it is dated. That makes it a reason to call: a company that has applied to build, convert or extend is about to spend money on fit-out, fleet, staff, insurance, security or cleaning, depending on what you sell.
It is not a promise that anything will be built. Applications are refused, amended and withdrawn, and a decision can take months. Treat the record as the opening for a question rather than proof of a project.
Why the weekly count moves so much
The count is the number of records dated in the week, not a measure of how much building is happening. Councils publish in batches, and the date that lands on the record depends on the register. A week with 449 followed a week with 77 is a good example of why a single week should not be read as a trend.
Our companion guide on why weekly signal counts swing explains the mechanism in more detail. The practical advice is the same: look at four or more weeks before deciding that activity has risen or fallen, and use the count to size the pool you can call rather than to forecast anything.
How to use the count in your week
If you sell to companies expanding their premises, a week with several hundred new sites is a deep pool, and the work is choosing which to call. Start with the sites in your patch and sector, then read the proposal on the planning register before you pick up the phone.
If a week is thin, do not wait for it to recover. Fall back on other dated records for the same buyer, such as a new charge at Companies House or a first hire in a function, which sit in separate registers and arrive on their own timetable.
How Lockley reads planning records
Lockley reads planning registers every night alongside Companies House, Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, job postings and company websites. Each finding links to the record it came from, so you can check it before calling.
Questions
How many new sites were on UK planning registers this week?
449 in the week 9 to 16 October 2026, by the date on the record, in Lockley's index.
How many the week before?
77, for 2 to 9 October 2026.
Is a rise in new sites a sign of a building boom?
Not by itself. The count is of dated records, and publication timing varies, so one week is a weak guide. Compare several weeks.
Does a planning application mean the company will spend money?
Not necessarily. Applications can be refused or withdrawn. It is a reason to ask a question, not evidence of a project.
Where do the figures come from?
From planning registers, read by Lockley's index. Each Lockley finding links to the record behind it.
See which of these companies are worth calling for your business, with the source for each.
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