Aberdeen Council approves 94.2% of planning applications, based on 21,779 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Aberdeen sits 5.9 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 801 decided applications, Aberdeen Council approved 94.0% of planning applications in 2025. Across 21,779 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.2%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Aberdeen council planning portal records · Updated June 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
Enter your postcode for a free, personalised approval pattern report, based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Aberdeen.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 20,386 | 1,242 | 21,628 | 94.3% |
| Listed Building | 64 | 6 | 70 | 91.4% |
| Advertisement | 37 | 9 | 46 | 80.4% |
| Prior Approval | 28 | 2 | 30 | 93.3% |
| Trees | 4 | 0 | 4 | 100.0% |
A loft conversion in one ward can have a 90% approval rate. In the next ward, 55%. The free check tells you which side you're on, your free property report is emailed in minutes.
Check My PostcodeWard-level data reveals where planning applications are most and least likely to succeed. Officers, local policies, and neighbourhood character all play a role.
| Ward | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | 3,662 | 212 | 3,874 | 94.5% |
| Lower Deeside | 2,569 | 186 | 2,755 | 93.2% |
| Torry/Ferryhill | 2,066 | 142 | 2,208 | 93.6% |
| George Street/Harbour | 2,013 | 154 | 2,167 | 92.9% |
| Mid Stocket/Rosemount | 1,914 | 106 | 2,020 | 94.8% |
| Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone | 1,762 | 115 | 1,877 | 93.9% |
| Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee | 1,436 | 75 | 1,511 | 95.0% |
| Kincorth/Nigg/Cove | 1,348 | 54 | 1,402 | 96.1% |
| Bridge Of Don | 1,275 | 64 | 1,339 | 95.2% |
| Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen | 842 | 64 | 906 | 92.9% |
| Kingswells/Sheddocksley/Summerhill | 855 | 32 | 887 | 96.4% |
| Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill | 497 | 34 | 531 | 93.6% |
| Northfield/Mastrick North | 257 | 21 | 278 | 92.4% |
| Hazlehead/Ashley/Queens Cross | 14 | 1 | 15 | 93.3% |
How Aberdeen’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 2.5pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Aberdeen council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 250536/DPP George Street/Harbour | Change of use from class 1A (shops, financial professional and other services) t | Approved |
| 260425/DPP Lower Deeside | Erection of gable extension and installation of dormer and vestibule to front an | Approved |
| 260058/DPP Kincorth/Nigg/Cove | Change of use of guest house to short-term let accommodation with maximum occupa | Refused |
| 260554/DPP Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Replacement of roof to an existing conservatory to rear | Approved |
| 260535/DPP George Street/Harbour | Installation of charging zone, erection of EV chargers, sub-station enclosure, l | Approved |
| 260220/DPP Bridge Of Don | Erection of 2 temporary storage buildings to yard (renewal of application ref 21 | Approved |
| 250535/LBC George Street/Harbour | External alterations to install extraction vents; internal alterations to partit | Approved |
| 260486/DPP Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Installation of bifold doors to rear | Approved |
| 260432/DPP Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Erection of carport to side, window alterations to form bi-fold doors, installat | Approved |
| 260697/PNW Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Replacement of an existing PVCu fixed over tilt and turn windows to PVCu fixed o | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your free property report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on Aberdeen's 21,779 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Aberdeen's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Aberdeen's planning statistics, by ward, extension type, or project category:
Data-driven guides to help you understand planning approval patterns:
Yes. PlanningLens offers a free planning permission check for Aberdeen. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 21,779 real decisions from Aberdeen council. The full property-specific report is also free and emailed within minutes.
Enter your postcode on PlanningLens for a free instant check based on Aberdeen's real planning decisions. The free property report goes further: it analyses the 20 nearest comparable decisions to your property, ward-level refusal patterns, and approval rates by application type. Free and emailed within minutes.
Based on 21,779 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.2%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 21,779 planning decisions from Aberdeen council. 20,519 were approved and 1,260 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.2%, but outcomes depend heavily on your specific ward, the type of extension or development you are proposing, and local planning policy. Use the free PlanningLens postcode check to get a personalised score.
Writing about planning in Aberdeen? These figures are free to republish with attribution. Copy the one-line citation, or paste the stat box into any website, CMS or newsletter, it carries its own styling and links back to this page for verification.