Cambridge planning approval rate
Cambridge council approved 92.9% of planning applications and refused 7.1%, based on 8,253 decisions analysed. Ranked 179th out of 284 councils for strictness.
Last updated: June 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
92.9%
overall approval rate
8,253
Decisions analysed
7,665
Approved
588
Refused
43
Wards covered
Planning in Cambridge? 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 Cambridge. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
92.7%
97.9%
88.0%
71.4%
97.8%
100.0%
71.2%
99.2%
70.8%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Cambridge, mined from 8,253 proposal descriptions.
94.9%
92.5%
94.4%
95.5%
95.3%
91.9%
91.3%
93.6%
84.7%
95.4%
97.7%
90.0%
97.2%
100.0%
72.7%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Cambridge. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Market
96.5%
Newnham
96.9%
Shelford
91.8%
Harston & Comberton
94.2%
Fen Ditton & Fulbourn
93.5%
Trumpington
96.3%
Linton
87.7%
Queen Ediths
90.3%
Petersfield
95.8%
West Chesterton
93.6%
Histon & Impington
94.6%
Melbourn
89.3%
Castle
94.0%
Milton & Waterbeach
96.2%
Duxford
93.1%
Caxton & Papworth
94.3%
Romsey
93.3%
Foxton
90.2%
Cottenham
90.5%
Over & Willingham
92.1%
Wards in Cambridge
Market
96.5% approval · 426 decisions
Newnham
96.9% approval · 388 decisions
Shelford
91.8% approval · 376 decisions
Harston & Comberton
94.2% approval · 360 decisions
Fen Ditton & Fulbourn
93.5% approval · 339 decisions
Trumpington
96.3% approval · 300 decisions
Linton
87.7% approval · 276 decisions
Queen Ediths
90.3% approval · 269 decisions
Petersfield
95.8% approval · 264 decisions
West Chesterton
93.6% approval · 264 decisions
Histon & Impington
94.6% approval · 259 decisions
Melbourn
89.3% approval · 252 decisions
Castle
94.0% approval · 250 decisions
Milton & Waterbeach
96.2% approval · 236 decisions
Duxford
93.1% approval · 233 decisions
Caxton & Papworth
94.3% approval · 227 decisions
Romsey
93.3% approval · 209 decisions
Foxton
90.2% approval · 193 decisions
Cottenham
90.5% approval · 190 decisions
Over & Willingham
92.1% approval · 190 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Cambridge, showing how the council decides real applications.
Erection of a self-contained one-bedroom outbuilding annexe for ancillary use, a · Kings Hedges · Mon 22 Jun 2026
Single storey rear extension. · Melbourn · Fri 19 Jun 2026
Roof extension including rear box dormer, dormer window to front and rooflights. · The Mordens · Fri 19 Jun 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Cambridge, 1 in 14 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Full Planning Analysis gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in Cambridge
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for Cambridge →
✓ Common refusal reasons in Cambridge
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 8,253 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Cambridge
What is the planning approval rate in Cambridge?
Based on 8,253 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Cambridge approved 92.9% of applications and refused 7.1%. The council is ranked 179th out of 284 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in Cambridge?
Cambridge refuses 7.1% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 14. That is lower than the UK average of 11.7%. Out of 8,253 decided applications since 2020, 588 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of Cambridge have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in Cambridge are in Newnham (96.9%), Kings Hedges (96.6%), and Market (96.5%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in Cambridge?
The most common planning application types in Cambridge are: Full (3,585 decisions, 92.7% approved), Trees (2,519, 97.9%), and Other (558, 88.0%).
How long does a planning application take in Cambridge?
Planning applications in Cambridge take an average of 11.1 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 8,199 decisions with a recorded timeline. That is slower than the 8-week statutory target for householder applications (the statutory targets are 8 weeks for householder applications and 13 weeks for major developments). PlanningLens measures the actual time each application takes, not just the target. Cambridge decides approximately 1,376 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in Cambridge?
You can search planning applications in Cambridge directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 8,253 historical decisions in Cambridge to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for Cambridge calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes Cambridge's official planning portal and analyses every published decision since January 2020. The approval rate is calculated as approved decisions divided by total decided applications, excluding withdrawn and pending applications. The full methodology, data sourcing, and Creative Commons BY 4.0 licensing terms are published at planninglens.co.uk/methodology.