Barnet Council approves 81.6% of planning applications, based on 55,813 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Barnet sits 7.0 percentage points below the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 5,045 decided applications, Barnet Council approved 80.8% of planning applications in 2025. The typical time from validation to decision in Barnet is 7.9 weeks, the median across 36,998 applications decided since January 2020. Across 55,813 decisions on record (January 1987 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in Barnet is 81.6%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Barnet council planning portal records · Data to 8 September 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 Barnet.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 31,655 | 5,995 | 37,650 | 84.1% |
| Full | 11,749 | 2,126 | 13,875 | 84.7% |
| Prior Approval | 2,152 | 2,136 | 4,288 | 50.2% |
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 PostcodeHow Barnet’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, up 0.2pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Barnet council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/2303/HSE | Single storey rear extension following demolition of the existing conservatory a | Approved |
| 26/2384/192 | Conversion of the existing garage into habitable room, insertion of window to re | Approved |
| 26/2265/HSE | Two storey side extension, single storey rear extension and extension and loweri | Refused |
| 26/2603/HSE | Single storey rear extension. New first floor rear roof terrace with privacy scr | Approved |
| 26/2610/FUL | Single storey rear extension to both properties | Approved |
| 26/2612/FUL | Erection of a new detached two storey dwelling with associated amenity space lan | Approved |
| 26/2668/HSE | Single storey rear extension with 2no. rooflights, new retaining wall and altera | Approved |
| 26/2659/HSE | Single storey rear extension with pitched roof and 3no. rooflights | Approved |
| 26/2858/HSE | Single storey rear/side extension. Changes to side fenestration including the ad | Approved |
| 26/2980/192 | Removal of the existing front boundary wall | 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 Barnet's 55,813 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Barnet's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Barnet'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 Barnet. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 55,813 real decisions from Barnet 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 Barnet'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 55,813 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Barnet is 81.6%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 55,813 planning decisions from Barnet council. 45,556 were approved and 10,257 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, January 1987 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in Barnet is 81.6%, 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.
The typical time from validation to decision in Barnet is 7.9 weeks, the median across 36,998 applications decided since January 2020. This PlanningLens figure is calculated from decision dates published by Barnet council itself, reflecting actual elapsed time rather than statutory targets.
Writing about planning in Barnet? 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.