Dartford planning approval rate

Dartford council approved 88.2% of planning applications and refused 11.8%, based on 7,102 decisions analysed. Ranked 75th out of 221 councils for strictness.

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

88.2%

overall approval rate

7,102

Decisions analysed

6,263

Approved

839

Refused

Wards covered

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

Full (3,189 decided)

85.5%

Other (1,999 decided)

89.7%

Certificate of Lawfulness (797 decided)

96.5%

Trees (645 decided)

92.1%

Discharge of Conditions (157 decided)

93.6%

Change of Use (137 decided)

72.3%

Advertisement (112 decided)

69.6%

Listed Building (44 decided)

97.7%

Prior Approval (22 decided)

54.5%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Dartford — mined from 7,102 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (1,944 decided)

89.1%

Garage / Parking (1,750 decided)

88.2%

Side Extension (958 decided)

90.5%

Dormer (818 decided)

88.3%

New Build (671 decided)

86.7%

Outbuilding (461 decided)

91.1%

Change of Use (Residential) (397 decided)

75.8%

Conservatory (335 decided)

94.0%

Front Extension (227 decided)

87.7%

Extension (General) (217 decided)

90.3%

Loft Conversion (195 decided)

86.7%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (113 decided)

92.9%

Annex (97 decided)

86.6%

Basement (91 decided)

84.6%

Wraparound Extension (86 decided)

91.9%

HMO (58 decided)

77.6%

Flat Conversion (30 decided)

70.0%

Approval rate by ward

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

Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet (957 decided)

85.7%

Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley (653 decided)

86.7%

Joydens Wood (626 decided)

86.6%

Stone Castle (597 decided)

93.5%

Town (571 decided)

86.2%

Heath (359 decided)

88.3%

West Hill (355 decided)

88.5%

Brent (336 decided)

89.0%

Newtown (290 decided)

84.8%

Princes (285 decided)

81.8%

Greenhithe & Knockhall (254 decided)

90.2%

Swanscombe (250 decided)

88.4%

Maypole & Leyton Cross (247 decided)

91.1%

Bridge (243 decided)

95.5%

Stone House (220 decided)

91.4%

Temple Hill (201 decided)

88.6%

Bean & Village Park (185 decided)

91.9%

Darenth (152 decided)

84.2%

Burnham (133 decided)

82.7%

Ebbsfleet (58 decided)

96.6%

Wards in Dartford

Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet

85.7% approval · 957 decisions

Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley

86.7% approval · 653 decisions

Joydens Wood

86.6% approval · 626 decisions

Stone Castle

93.5% approval · 597 decisions

Town

86.2% approval · 571 decisions

Heath

88.3% approval · 359 decisions

West Hill

88.5% approval · 355 decisions

Brent

89.0% approval · 336 decisions

Newtown

84.8% approval · 290 decisions

Princes

81.8% approval · 285 decisions

Greenhithe & Knockhall

90.2% approval · 254 decisions

Swanscombe

88.4% approval · 250 decisions

Maypole & Leyton Cross

91.1% approval · 247 decisions

Bridge

95.5% approval · 243 decisions

Stone House

91.4% approval · 220 decisions

Temple Hill

88.6% approval · 201 decisions

Bean & Village Park

91.9% approval · 185 decisions

Darenth

84.2% approval · 152 decisions

Burnham

82.7% approval · 133 decisions

Ebbsfleet

96.6% approval · 58 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

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

25/01266/FUL

Erection of a part two/part single storey side extension · Joydens Wood · Tue 30 Dec 2025

Approved

25/01286/FUL

Application for replacement of existing 6 Velux roof lights with 6 pitched roof · Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley · Mon 29 Dec 2025

Approved

25/01285/FUL

Demolition of existing garage and storage area, and erection of a single storey · Longfield, New Barn & Southfleet · Mon 29 Dec 2025

Approved

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

What gets approved near your property?

In Dartford, 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 Dartford
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get Dartford Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 7,102 decisions.

Compare with nearby councils

Bexley Greenwich Sevenoaks Thurrock

Check planning approval patterns — Free