City of Edinburgh vs Kensington & Chelsea — planning approval compared
How do planning outcomes differ between City of Edinburgh and Kensington & Chelsea? A side-by-side comparison based on 67,679 combined decisions.
Last updated: May 2026
City of Edinburgh: 89.8%
34,504 decisions · 30,983 approved · 3,521 refused · 36 wards
Kensington & Chelsea: 92.5%
33,175 decisions · 30,671 approved · 2,504 refused · 37 wards
Overall approval rates
City of Edinburgh
89.8%
Kensington & Chelsea
92.5%
By application type
Full — Kensington & Chelsea
88.6%
Other — City of Edinburgh
89.8%
Other — Kensington & Chelsea
93.4%
Prior Approval — Kensington & Chelsea
61.4%
What the numbers mean
There is a 2.7 percentage point difference in overall approval rates between these councils. City of Edinburgh 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.