City of London Council approves 98.7% of planning applications, based on 7,483 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. City of London sits 13.7 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 1,350 decided applications, City of London Council approved 98.7% of planning applications in 2025. The typical time from validation to decision in City of London is 11.6 weeks, the median across 7,357 applications decided since January 2020. Across 7,483 decisions on record (January 1987 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in City of London is 98.7%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of City of London council planning portal records · Data to 28 September 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 City of London.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 10,670 | 117 | 10,787 | 98.9% |
| 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, your free property report is emailed in minutes.
Check My PostcodeHow City of London’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, up 4.4pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 26/01024/ADVT | Installation and display of 2 No. internally illuminated 0.55m x 0.39m polished | Approved |
| 26/01025/LBC | Installation and display of 2 No. internally illuminated 0.55m x 0.39m polished | Approved |
| 26/01050/LBC | Facade cleaning and repairs to stonework facade, cornice and roof. | Approved |
| 26/00143/MDC | Submission of details of green walls, planting selections and method of irrigati | Approved |
| 26/01115/LBC | Internal alterations at first floor level. | Approved |
| 26/00732/LBC | Replacement of double leaf timber entrance door with single leaf Accoya door and | Approved |
| 26/01028/PODC | Submission of the utility connections pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragraph 10.1 of t | Approved |
| 26/01107/LBC | Internal alterations to ground floor level including new partitions and office f | Approved |
| 25/01316/LBC | Internal and external works comprising of: (i) the removal of an existing door o | Approved |
| 25/01313/FULL | External works comprising of: (i) the removal of an existing door on the western | 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 City of London's 7,483 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare City of London's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
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:
Yes. PlanningLens offers a free planning permission check for City of London. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 7,483 real decisions from City of London 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 City of London'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 7,483 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in City of London is 98.7%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 7,483 planning decisions from City of London council. 7,389 were approved and 94 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, January 1987 to September 2026.
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 free PlanningLens postcode check to get a personalised score.
The typical time from validation to decision in City of London is 11.6 weeks, the median across 7,357 applications decided since January 2020. This PlanningLens figure is calculated from decision dates published by City of London council itself, reflecting actual elapsed time rather than statutory targets.
Writing about planning in City of London? These figures are free to republish with attribution. Copy the one-line citation, or paste the stat box into any website, CMS or newsletter, it carries its own styling and links back to this page for verification.