Argyll & Bute Council approves 95.9% of planning applications, based on 4,351 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Argyll & Bute sits 7.6 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 4,351 decided applications published since January 2020, Argyll & Bute Council approved 95.9% of planning applications. The national average approval rate across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Argyll & Bute council planning portal records · Updated June 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
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Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Argyll & Bute.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 4,001 | 176 | 4,177 | 95.8% |
| Prior Approval | 76 | 0 | 76 | 100.0% |
| Listed Building | 54 | 0 | 54 | 100.0% |
| Trees | 28 | 1 | 29 | 96.6% |
| Advertisement | 10 | 0 | 10 | 100.0% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 4 | 1 | 5 | 80.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oban North And Lorn | 759 | 32 | 791 | 96.0% |
| Oban South And The Isles | 616 | 26 | 642 | 96.0% |
| Kintyre And The Islands | 580 | 26 | 606 | 95.7% |
| Mid Argyll | 440 | 9 | 449 | 98.0% |
| Helensburgh Central | 345 | 12 | 357 | 96.6% |
| Cowal | 320 | 18 | 338 | 94.7% |
| Lomond North | 321 | 13 | 334 | 96.1% |
| South Kintyre | 250 | 6 | 256 | 97.7% |
| Isle Of Bute | 231 | 12 | 243 | 95.1% |
| Dunoon | 167 | 11 | 178 | 93.8% |
| Helensburgh And Lomond South | 128 | 12 | 140 | 91.4% |
| Not Specified | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100.0% |
Real residential planning decisions from Argyll & Bute council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/00963/NMA Oban South And The Isles | Non material amendment relative to Planning Permission 23/00582/PP (Erection of | Approved |
| 25/01882/PP Kintyre And The Islands | Change of use of existing shed ancillary to guest house to Class11(e) indoor or | Approved |
| 24/01412/PP Kintyre And The Islands | Alterations and extension to byre (most recently used as storage/studio space) t | Approved |
| 26/00864/PP Lomond North | Removal of front steps and relocation of steps to side of house, replacement of | Approved |
| 26/01026/NMA Oban South And The Isles | Non material amendment relative to Planning Permission 24/01380/PP Erection of d | Approved |
| 26/00848/PAGEN Oban North And Lorn | Erection of turbine (height to blade tip 11.8 metres) | Approved |
| 26/00975/NMA Oban North And Lorn | Non Material Amendment to Planning Permission 25/00724/PP -(Erection of dwelling | Approved |
| 26/00889/PP Oban North And Lorn | Erection of extensions | Approved |
| 26/00877/PP Oban North And Lorn | Raising existing dormer and replacement of rear windows at first floor with full | Approved |
| 26/00837/PP Oban South And The Isles | Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse (retrospective) | 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 Argyll & Bute's 4,351 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Argyll & Bute's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Argyll & Bute'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 Argyll & Bute. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 4,351 real decisions from Argyll & Bute 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 Argyll & Bute'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 4,351 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Argyll & Bute is 95.9%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 4,351 planning decisions from Argyll & Bute council. 4,173 were approved and 178 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Argyll & Bute is 95.9%, 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 Argyll & Bute? 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.