Bexley Council approves 85.2% of planning applications, based on 21,547 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Bexley sits 3.4 percentage points below the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 2,261 decided applications, Bexley Council approved 88.9% of planning applications in 2025. Across 21,547 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Bexley is 85.2%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Bexley council planning portal records · Updated August 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 Bexley.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 17,325 | 2,708 | 20,033 | 86.5% |
| Prior Approval | 838 | 466 | 1,304 | 64.3% |
| Full | 196 | 14 | 210 | 93.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bexhth | 1,341 | 260 | 1,601 | 83.8% |
| Sidcpn | 1,316 | 238 | 1,554 | 84.7% |
| Blackf | 1,244 | 256 | 1,500 | 82.9% |
| Stmarn | 1,242 | 253 | 1,495 | 83.1% |
| Blenpe | 1,138 | 268 | 1,406 | 80.9% |
| Falcwe | 1,119 | 246 | 1,365 | 82.0% |
| Crookl | 1,118 | 240 | 1,358 | 82.3% |
| Wheath | 1,069 | 200 | 1,269 | 84.2% |
| Estwck | 856 | 211 | 1,067 | 80.2% |
| Crayfn | 924 | 133 | 1,057 | 87.4% |
| Belvdr | 869 | 165 | 1,034 | 84.0% |
| Longn | 848 | 120 | 968 | 87.6% |
| Erithn | 704 | 120 | 824 | 85.4% |
| Norhth | 581 | 143 | 724 | 80.2% |
| Barne | 553 | 100 | 653 | 84.7% |
| Thamen | 470 | 99 | 569 | 82.6% |
| Sladeg | 375 | 69 | 444 | 84.5% |
| Christchurch | 215 | 2 | 217 | 99.1% |
| Erith | 214 | 2 | 216 | 99.1% |
| Sidcup | 200 | 8 | 208 | 96.2% |
| Belvedere | 174 | 5 | 179 | 97.2% |
| Crayford | 131 | 2 | 133 | 98.5% |
| Cray Meadows | 119 | 4 | 123 | 96.7% |
| Danson Park | 115 | 4 | 119 | 96.6% |
| St. Mary'S | 110 | 5 | 115 | 95.7% |
Showing top 25 of 57 wards by volume. Your free property report includes the full ward breakdown.
See full ward breakdown →How Bexley’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 9.7pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Bexley council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| None Falcwe | Application to approve details of conditions 6 (Parking Permits) and 7 (Car Park | Approved |
| None Bexhth | Erection of a single storey rear extension, installation of access ramp and alte | Approved |
| None Stmarn | Conversion of roof space involving alterations to existing roofline, including a | Approved |
| None Estwck | Erection of a vertical extension to provide 2nd floor and first /second floor re | Approved |
| None Wheath | Erection of a detached single storey outbuilding in rear garden following demoli | Approved |
| None Blackf | Lawful Development Certificate (Proposed) for the erection of a single storey re | Approved |
| None Wheath | Conversion of garage and vertical extension to provide a two storey annexe at re | Refused |
| None Crayfn | Erection of a single storey rear extension following demolition of existing cons | Approved |
| None Bexhth | Lawful Development Certificate (Proposed) for the erection of a detached single | Approved |
| None Estwck | Erection of a part one/part two storey side and rear extension following demolit | 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 Bexley's 21,547 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Bexley's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Bexley'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 Bexley. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 21,547 real decisions from Bexley 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 Bexley'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 21,547 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Bexley is 85.2%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 21,547 planning decisions from Bexley council. 18,359 were approved and 3,188 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Bexley is 85.2%, 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.
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