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 88.0%. Aberdeen sits 6.3 percentage points above the national average.
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 | 20,217 | 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 — 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 | 3,606 | 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% |
How Aberdeen’s planning approval rate has changed year by year — unchanged 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 260223/PNW Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Replacement of brown PVCu tilt and turn windows with one-over-one white PVCu sli | Approved |
| 260209/ADV Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Installation of window graphics (temporary) | Approved |
| 260200/PNW Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Replacement of existing white timber one over one sashes with white timber six o | Approved |
| 260153/DPP Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee | Erection of replacement single storey extension to rear | Approved |
| 260131/PNW Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Replacement windows to front elevation of the house, comprising of seven existin | Approved |
| 260106/DPP Torry/Ferryhill | Change of use from short term let to residential flat | Approved |
| 260087/DPP Lower Deeside | Installation of 50no. solar panel array to flat roof of existing multi purpose h | Approved |
| 260105/DPP George Street/Harbour | Erection of 2m high palisade fence and gate | Approved |
| 260089/PNW Hazlehead/Queen's Cross/Countesswells | Existing white PVCu casement and tilt and turn windows to be replaced by white d | Approved |
| 260081/PNW Mid Stocket/Rosemount | Replacement of brown aluminium framed, one over one sash and case windows with g | 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 21,448 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 21,448 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 21,448 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Aberdeen is 94.3%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.0%. 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 free PlanningLens postcode check to get a personalised score.