Chelmsford planning approval rate
Chelmsford council approved 85.7% of planning applications and refused 14.3%, based on 505 decisions analysed. Ranked 44th out of 221 councils for strictness.
Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
Approval rate by application type
Different application types have different approval rates in Chelmsford. 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 Chelmsford — mined from 505 proposal descriptions.
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Chelmsford. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Wards in Chelmsford
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Chelmsford, showing how the council decides real applications.
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Chelmsford, 1 in 7 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Pro Report gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Common refusal reasons in Chelmsford
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 505 decisions.