City of Edinburgh vs Birmingham — planning approval compared
How do planning outcomes differ between City of Edinburgh and Birmingham? A side-by-side comparison based on 67,615 combined decisions.
Last updated: May 2026
City of Edinburgh: 89.8%
34,504 decisions · 30,983 approved · 3,521 refused · 36 wards
Birmingham: 83.8%
33,111 decisions · 27,759 approved · 5,352 refused · 0 wards
Overall approval rates
City of Edinburgh
89.8%
Birmingham
83.8%
By application type
Other — City of Edinburgh
89.8%
Other — Birmingham
83.8%
What the numbers mean
There is a 6.0 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.