Barnsley planning approval rate
Barnsley council approved 90.0% of planning applications and refused 10.0%, based on 24,616 decisions analysed. Ranked 98th out of 221 councils for strictness.
Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
90.0%
overall approval rate
Planning in Barnsley?
Check your postcode to see approval rates specific to your ward and street.
Approval rate by application type
Different application types have different approval rates in Barnsley. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Barnsley — mined from 24,616 proposal descriptions.
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Barnsley. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Penistone East Ward (2,822 decided)
90.6%
Central Ward (1,744 decided)
92.1%
Penistone Ward, Penistone West Ward (1,649 decided)
89.4%
Dodworth (1,245 decided)
89.8%
Darton East (1,209 decided)
88.2%
Darton West (1,139 decided)
90.8%
Hoyland Milton (1,096 decided)
90.1%
Rockingham Ward (1,059 decided)
91.8%
North East Ward (1,019 decided)
88.6%
Old Town Ward (1,000 decided)
89.2%
Darfield (964 decided)
88.4%
Royston Ward (920 decided)
87.1%
Wombwell Ward (914 decided)
92.0%
Worsbrough Ward (875 decided)
89.1%
Stairfoot Ward (851 decided)
93.2%
Cudworth (810 decided)
89.0%
Monk Bretton (809 decided)
91.0%
Dearne North (778 decided)
90.6%
Penistone West Ward (710 decided)
86.6%
Dearne South (676 decided)
91.0%
Wards in Barnsley
Penistone East Ward
90.6% approval · 2,822 decisions
Central Ward
92.1% approval · 1,744 decisions
Penistone Ward, Penistone West Ward
89.4% approval · 1,649 decisions
Dodworth
89.8% approval · 1,245 decisions
Darton East
88.2% approval · 1,209 decisions
Darton West
90.8% approval · 1,139 decisions
Hoyland Milton
90.1% approval · 1,096 decisions
Rockingham Ward
91.8% approval · 1,059 decisions
North East Ward
88.6% approval · 1,019 decisions
Old Town Ward
89.2% approval · 1,000 decisions
Darfield
88.4% approval · 964 decisions
Royston Ward
87.1% approval · 920 decisions
Wombwell Ward
92.0% approval · 914 decisions
Worsbrough Ward
89.1% approval · 875 decisions
Stairfoot Ward
93.2% approval · 851 decisions
Cudworth
89.0% approval · 810 decisions
Monk Bretton
91.0% approval · 809 decisions
Dearne North
90.6% approval · 778 decisions
Penistone West Ward
86.6% approval · 710 decisions
Dearne South
91.0% approval · 676 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Barnsley, showing how the council decides real applications.
2026/0001
Demolition of pre-fabricated outbuilding (Listed Building Consent) · Penistone East Ward · 10 February 2026
2026/0004
Single storey front extension to dwelling · Penistone East Ward · 26 February 2026
2026/0010
Erection of two storey/single storey rear extension to dwelling (Amended Descrip · Darton West · 6 March 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Barnsley, 1 in 10 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Pro Report gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in Barnsley
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Get Barnsley Pro Report — £79
Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 24,616 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils