How to Check Planning Permission History for Free

Planning permission records in the UK are public information. You can look up the planning history of any address — for free — without a solicitor, a subscription, or a payment. This guide shows you how.

Whether you're buying a house, planning an extension, or just curious about a neighbour's recent works, all the information you need is already published online by every UK council. The challenge isn't access — it's knowing where to look and how to interpret what you find.

The three free ways to check planning history

There are three main free sources for UK planning records. Each is best for a different purpose:

1. Your local council's planning portal — for looking up specific applications by reference or address.
2. The Planning Inspectorate appeals database — for refusals that went to appeal.
3. PlanningLens — for analysing approval patterns across an entire postcode area.

Below, we'll walk through each method.

Method 1: Search the council planning portal

How to do it

1. Find your local council. If you're unsure, enter your postcode at gov.uk/find-local-council.
2. Search "[council name] planning portal" — e.g. "Birmingham planning portal".
3. Most councils use one of three software systems: Idox Public Access, OcellaWeb, or a custom portal. The interface varies but the data is the same.
4. Search by address, postcode, or application reference. The reference format usually looks like 23/00123/HSE or similar.
5. Click any application to see the full decision notice, plans, officer report, and any conditions imposed.

What you can find

• The exact proposal description.
• The decision: approved, refused, withdrawn, or pending.
• The decision date and case officer.
• Any conditions attached to the approval.
• Public objections or comments.
• Officer's reasons for refusal (if applicable).
• Submitted plans and supporting documents.

Method 2: Check the Planning Inspectorate appeals database

How to do it

1. Go to acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk.
2. Search by address, postcode, or council name.
3. Each appeal record includes the inspector's full decision letter — often the most detailed planning document available, with explicit reasoning about what was acceptable and what wasn't.

Reading appeal decisions for properties similar to yours is one of the most effective ways to understand what local planning officers actually care about.

Method 3: PlanningLens for free pattern analysis

How to do it

1. Go to PlanningLens free planning permission checker.
2. Enter any UK postcode. You'll see your council's approval rate, ward-level rates, and rate by application type within seconds.
3. To get a free property-specific PDF, enter your address and email. The report covers the 20 nearest comparable decisions, refusal patterns, and approval trends.

What free planning history checks won't tell you

Planning records show what decisions were made, but not why in any predictive sense. Every application is decided on its own merits. A neighbour's approval doesn't guarantee yours will succeed, and a refusal nearby doesn't doom your project.

What they can tell you:

• Which application types your council tends to approve (and which it refuses).
• Whether your ward has stricter or more permissive officers than the council average.
• Common refusal reasons in your area — so you can pre-empt them.
• Whether comparable properties have been allowed to extend, convert, or develop.

This is genuinely useful information — and it's all free.

Quick reference: free planning history checks for major UK cities

Skip straight to the council page for major UK areas. Each includes a free, council-specific approval rate breakdown:

• Birmingham planning approval rates & history
• Leeds planning approval rates & history
• Manchester planning approval rates & history
• Bristol planning approval rates & history
• Edinburgh planning approval rates & history
• Liverpool planning approval rates & history
• All 237 UK councils ranked by approval rate

Frequently asked questions

Can you check planning permission history for free?

Yes. UK planning records are public information. You can check planning history for free using your local council's planning portal, the Planning Inspectorate appeals database, or aggregator tools like PlanningLens that analyse decisions across multiple councils. There is no charge for accessing planning permission records in the UK.

How do I find planning permission history for a property?

Go to your local council's planning portal and search by address or postcode. Every UK council publishes its planning decisions online for free. Alternatively, enter the postcode at PlanningLens to see analysis of nearby planning decisions in seconds — including approval rates and refusal patterns.

What is the best free planning permission checker?

For checking a specific application reference, use the relevant council's own planning portal — these are free and authoritative. For analysing patterns across an area (approval rates, refusal trends, comparable decisions), PlanningLens aggregates 2,645,704 decisions from 237 UK councils into a free postcode checker and free PDF report.

How far back can I check UK planning permission history?

Most UK councils publish planning records going back at least 10–20 years on their public portals. Older records may require a Freedom of Information request. PlanningLens covers decisions from January 2020 to the present across 237 councils — sufficient to identify current approval patterns.

Do I need a solicitor to check planning permission?

No. Planning permission records are public and free to access directly. Solicitors typically check planning history during property purchases as part of a Local Authority Search, but you can do this yourself for free at any time using the methods described in this guide.