Aberdeen Council approves 94.3% of planning applications, based on 21,448 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. Aberdeen sits 6.4 percentage points above the national average.
Enter your postcode for a personalised approval likelihood score — 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 | 20,217 | 1,231 | 21,448 | 94.3% |
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.
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 | 3,606 | 209 | 3,815 | 94.5% |
| Lower Deeside | 2,541 | 184 | 2,725 | 93.2% |
| Torry/Ferryhill | 2,034 | 138 | 2,172 | 93.6% |
| George Street/Harbour | 1,966 | 147 | 2,113 | 93.0% |
| Mid Stocket/Rosemount | 1,867 | 102 | 1,969 | 94.8% |
| Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone | 1,751 | 112 | 1,863 | 94.0% |
| Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee | 1,421 | 73 | 1,494 | 95.1% |
| Kincorth/Nigg/Cove | 1,330 | 53 | 1,383 | 96.2% |
| Bridge Of Don | 1,260 | 64 | 1,324 | 95.2% |
| Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen | 825 | 62 | 887 | 93.0% |
| Kingswells/Sheddocksley/Summerhill | 845 | 32 | 877 | 96.4% |
| Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill | 493 | 34 | 527 | 93.5% |
| Northfield/Mastrick North | 255 | 20 | 275 | 92.7% |
| Hazlehead/Ashley/Queens Cross | 14 | 1 | 15 | 93.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 090484 Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Conversion of existing buildings to form 47 flats and 5 town housesand erection | Approved |
| 090522 Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Erection of 3 storey office extension to rear of property and demolition of exis | Refused |
| 090535 Torry/Ferryhill | Replace windows | Approved |
| 090540 Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone | Alterations and extension to existing industrial building and car park. | Approved |
| 090548 Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Window/door replacement and internal alterations | Approved |
| 090564 Torry/Ferryhill | New internal sub dividing partitions,formation of new shopfronts and entrances a | Approved |
| 090565 Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Demolition of Oakbank School lodge house | Refused |
| 090572 Kincorth/Nigg/Cove | Build extension at rear to form kitchen and bathroom, build stormporch over fron | Approved |
| 090598 Lower Deeside | Residential Development | Refused |
| 090610 Kincorth/Nigg/Cove | New trades counter and warehouse facility, customer car park anddeliveries/colle | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your Pro Report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on Aberdeen's 21,448 real decisions. Delivered by email in minutes.
Get My Pro Report — £79Compare 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:
Based on 21,448 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.3%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. However, rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 21,448 planning decisions from Aberdeen council. 20,217 were approved and 1,231 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.3%, but outcomes depend heavily on your specific ward, the type of extension or development you are proposing, and local planning policy. Use the PlanningLens free postcode check to get a personalised score.