Bristol planning approval rate

Bristol council approved 86.9% of planning applications and refused 13.1%, based on 24,529 decisions analysed. Ranked 58th out of 221 councils for strictness.

Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present

86.9%

overall approval rate

24,529

Decisions analysed

21,304

Approved

3,225

Refused

Wards covered

Planning in Bristol? 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 Bristol. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.

Full (13,530 decided)

85.9%

Certificate of Lawfulness (3,701 decided)

88.7%

Listed Building (1,832 decided)

91.0%

Trees (1,510 decided)

93.0%

Prior Approval (1,373 decided)

82.2%

Discharge of Conditions (989 decided)

93.1%

Advertisement (919 decided)

84.2%

Other (348 decided)

76.7%

Change of Use (327 decided)

71.9%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Bristol — mined from 24,529 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (5,501 decided)

90.9%

Garage / Parking (2,892 decided)

84.9%

Loft Conversion (2,661 decided)

88.6%

Dormer (2,553 decided)

90.8%

Side Extension (2,247 decided)

88.1%

Extension (General) (1,944 decided)

88.3%

Change of Use (Residential) (1,755 decided)

80.0%

HMO (805 decided)

75.7%

Outbuilding (803 decided)

88.7%

New Build (711 decided)

72.7%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (645 decided)

91.3%

Basement (608 decided)

90.1%

Conservatory (554 decided)

92.6%

Wraparound Extension (421 decided)

94.1%

Annex (289 decided)

77.2%

Flat Conversion (240 decided)

72.9%

Front Extension (189 decided)

81.5%

Approval rate by ward

Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Bristol. Click any ward for detailed statistics.

Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze (1,969 decided)

90.4%

Central (1,807 decided)

88.7%

Clifton (1,407 decided)

88.1%

Stoke Bishop (1,177 decided)

89.3%

Ashley (1,089 decided)

83.3%

Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston (983 decided)

88.2%

Redland (940 decided)

87.0%

Clifton Down (911 decided)

86.2%

Southville (902 decided)

85.3%

Bishopston & Ashley Down (786 decided)

87.8%

Lawrence Hill (767 decided)

86.7%

Bedminster (710 decided)

87.9%

Frome Vale (707 decided)

82.3%

Cotham (686 decided)

87.0%

Horfield (651 decided)

83.6%

Knowle (613 decided)

88.4%

Brislington West (606 decided)

87.0%

Windmill Hill (596 decided)

87.8%

Hengrove & Whitchurch Park (593 decided)

88.7%

Lockleaze (586 decided)

85.8%

Wards in Bristol

Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze

90.4% approval · 1,969 decisions

Central

88.7% approval · 1,807 decisions

Clifton

88.1% approval · 1,407 decisions

Stoke Bishop

89.3% approval · 1,177 decisions

Ashley

83.3% approval · 1,089 decisions

Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston

88.2% approval · 983 decisions

Redland

87.0% approval · 940 decisions

Clifton Down

86.2% approval · 911 decisions

Southville

85.3% approval · 902 decisions

Bishopston & Ashley Down

87.8% approval · 786 decisions

Lawrence Hill

86.7% approval · 767 decisions

Bedminster

87.9% approval · 710 decisions

Frome Vale

82.3% approval · 707 decisions

Cotham

87.0% approval · 686 decisions

Horfield

83.6% approval · 651 decisions

Knowle

88.4% approval · 613 decisions

Brislington West

87.0% approval · 606 decisions

Windmill Hill

87.8% approval · 596 decisions

Hengrove & Whitchurch Park

88.7% approval · 593 decisions

Lockleaze

85.8% approval · 586 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

The most recent residential planning decisions in Bristol, showing how the council decides real applications.

26/10287/H

First floor side extension. · Brislington West · Wed 25 Feb 2026

Approved

26/10092/H

Side extension & front porch. · Stockwood · Wed 25 Feb 2026

Approved

26/10010/H

Ground floor rear alterations including: changing an existing door to a sash win · Redland · Wed 25 Feb 2026

Approved

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →

What gets approved near your property?

In Bristol, 1 in 8 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 Bristol
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get Bristol Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 24,529 decisions.

Compare with nearby councils

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