Birmingham vs Richmond — planning approval compared

How do planning outcomes differ between Birmingham and Richmond? A side-by-side comparison based on 65,427 combined decisions.

Last updated: April 2026

Birmingham: 83.8%

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

Richmond: 87.3%

32,316 decisions · 28,213 approved · 4,103 refused · 55 wards

Overall approval rates

Birmingham (33,111 decided)

83.8%

Richmond (32,316 decided)

87.3%

By application type

Full — Richmond (8,475 decided)

82.9%

Other — Birmingham (33,111 decided)

83.8%

Other — Richmond (19,503 decided)

89.7%

Prior Approval — Richmond (4,338 decided)

85.2%

What the numbers mean

There is a 3.5 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 rates 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 Richmond full data

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