Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general excl. of approval or admiration referring either to an action or to the report of something already carried out; also used ironically.

1969		I. Hebditch ‘Weekend’ unpub. thesis in Hewitt (2000) 133: ‘Action’s on tonight down the “Cage”.’ ‘Nice one.’.
1971		Bob Marley ‘Kinky Reggae’ [lyrics ] Nice one. Nice one, that’s what they say.
1981		J. Sullivan ‘The Russians are Coming’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] This pile of bricks, only cost me 100 nicker, nice one, eh?
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 178: Nice one, Major, I’ll have a dozen royal grouse.
1993		I. Welsh Trainspotting 168: Nice one ma man! Some fuckin result, eh?
2003		N. Griffiths Stump 120: — Did yeh get the drink? — Yeh. Skanked two bottles from the Londis. — Nice one. Great stuff.
2010		K. Richards Life 228: They spray you with lice spray. Oh, nice one, son.
2017		G. Gilmore Headland [ebook] ‘Nice one. I wanted to talk to you’.