City of London Council approves 98.7% of planning applications, based on 9,789 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. City of London sits 10.8 percentage points above the national average.
Enter your postcode for a personalised approval likelihood score — based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in City of London.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 9,632 | 114 | 9,746 | 98.8% |
| Prior Approval | 33 | 10 | 43 | 76.7% |
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BP | 855 | 16 | 871 | 98.2% |
| FN | 839 | 12 | 851 | 98.6% |
| FT | 790 | 6 | 796 | 99.2% |
| CB | 740 | 7 | 747 | 99.1% |
| CM | 597 | 8 | 605 | 98.7% |
| TW | 485 | 8 | 493 | 98.4% |
| AG | 391 | 5 | 396 | 98.7% |
| CG | 381 | 3 | 384 | 99.2% |
| LM | 327 | 1 | 328 | 99.7% |
| CP | 308 | 7 | 315 | 97.8% |
| FARRINGDON WITHOUT | 311 | 0 | 311 | 100.0% |
| BS | 257 | 0 | 257 | 100.0% |
| CH | 224 | 4 | 228 | 98.2% |
| BD | 224 | 3 | 227 | 98.7% |
| BG | 218 | 2 | 220 | 99.1% |
| CK | 207 | 4 | 211 | 98.1% |
| LB | 170 | 2 | 172 | 98.8% |
| WB | 170 | 0 | 170 | 100.0% |
| AT | 153 | 0 | 153 | 100.0% |
| BR | 144 | 8 | 152 | 94.7% |
| BISHOPSGATE | 147 | 0 | 147 | 100.0% |
| CW | 131 | 7 | 138 | 94.9% |
| PS | 121 | 8 | 129 | 93.8% |
| BT | 122 | 5 | 127 | 96.1% |
| FARRINGDON WITHIN | 104 | 0 | 104 | 100.0% |
Showing top 25 of 51 wards by volume. Your Pro Report includes the full ward breakdown.
See full ward breakdown →Real residential planning decisions from City of London council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 25/01614/FULL BS | Replacement of existing glazed panel at first floor with louvre. | Approved |
| 25/01648/LDC FN | Submission of details of replacement cornicing to match pursuant to condition 5 | Approved |
| 25/01647/MDC FN | Submission of details of replacement cornicing to match pursuant to condition 16 | Approved |
| 25/01382/MDC CB | Submission of scheme for protecting nearby residents and commercial occupiers fr | Approved |
| 26/00194/OBS FT | Consultation by the London Borough of Camden for the demolition of existing stru | Approved |
| 25/01786/FULL FN | Install replacement windows to south elevation at 3rd floor level. | Approved |
| 26/00134/PODC TW | Submission of the Utility Connection Requirements pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragra | Approved |
| 25/00849/LBC CB | Refurbishment and alterations to office building including: i) Provision of acce | Approved |
| 25/00848/FULL CB | Refurbishment and alterations to office building including: i) Provision of acce | Approved |
| 25/00910/LBC CG | Works comprising: Conservatory Exterior; replacement of glazing, new louvres, wo | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your Pro Report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on City of London's 9,789 real decisions. Delivered by email in minutes.
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Dig deeper into City of London's planning statistics — by ward, extension type, or project category:
Data-driven guides to help you understand planning approval patterns:
Based on 9,789 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in City of London is 98.7%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. However, rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 9,789 planning decisions from City of London council. 9,665 were approved and 124 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in City of London is 98.7%, but outcomes depend heavily on your specific ward, the type of extension or development you are proposing, and local planning policy. Use the PlanningLens free postcode check to get a personalised score.