Birmingham vs Glasgow — planning approval compared

How do planning outcomes differ between Birmingham and Glasgow? A side-by-side comparison based on 63,735 combined decisions.

Last updated: March 2026

Birmingham: 83.8%

33,111 decisions · 27,759 approved · 5,352 refused · 0 wards

Glasgow: 85.2%

30,624 decisions · 26,096 approved · 4,528 refused · 23 wards

Overall approval rates

Birmingham (33,111 decided)

83.8%

Glasgow (30,624 decided)

85.2%

By application type

Advertisement — Glasgow (1,912 decided)

82.8%

Certificate of Lawfulness — Glasgow (12 decided)

8.3%

Discharge of Conditions — Glasgow (385 decided)

99.7%

Full — Glasgow (11,493 decided)

87.8%

Listed Building — Glasgow (3,412 decided)

92.6%

Other — Birmingham (33,111 decided)

83.8%

Other — Glasgow (12,920 decided)

80.7%

Prior Approval — Glasgow (490 decided)

94.3%

What the numbers mean

There is a 1.4 percentage point difference in overall approval rates between these councils. Birmingham is the stricter of the two, which means similar applications may face higher refusal risk there. However, approval rates vary by ward and application type, so your specific situation may differ from the averages.

Planning in your area? Check your postcode to see approval rates specific to your ward and street.

See detailed data

Birmingham full data Glasgow full data

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