Derby planning approval rate
Derby council approved 92.8% of planning applications and refused 7.2%, based on 4,507 decisions analysed. Ranked 178th out of 284 councils for strictness.
Last updated: June 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
92.8%
overall approval rate
4,507
Decisions analysed
4,183
Approved
324
Refused
25
Wards covered
Planning in Derby? 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 Derby. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
93.4%
94.5%
93.4%
86.5%
94.4%
79.2%
95.3%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Derby, mined from 4,507 proposal descriptions.
96.1%
94.7%
93.8%
91.7%
94.8%
82.4%
86.9%
89.4%
90.6%
87.4%
88.9%
73.3%
72.2%
93.8%
86.7%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Derby. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Arboretum Ward
87.5%
Darley Ward
95.0%
Littleover Ward
91.7%
Allestree Ward
95.4%
Mickleover Ward
93.5%
Abbey Ward
91.4%
Blagreaves Ward
90.6%
Normanton Ward
90.4%
Spondon Ward
97.9%
Alvaston Ward
92.0%
Chellaston Ward
94.6%
Chaddesden Ward
94.0%
Mackworth Ward
92.9%
Oakwood Ward
95.0%
Derwent Ward
94.9%
Sinfin Ward
94.6%
Boulton Ward
98.1%
Sinfin & Osmaston Ward
91.0%
Mackworth & New Zealand Ward
92.2%
Alvaston North Ward
89.7%
Wards in Derby
Arboretum Ward
87.5% approval · 560 decisions
Darley Ward
95.0% approval · 517 decisions
Littleover Ward
91.7% approval · 408 decisions
Allestree Ward
95.4% approval · 367 decisions
Mickleover Ward
93.5% approval · 309 decisions
Abbey Ward
91.4% approval · 257 decisions
Blagreaves Ward
90.6% approval · 256 decisions
Normanton Ward
90.4% approval · 219 decisions
Spondon Ward
97.9% approval · 191 decisions
Alvaston Ward
92.0% approval · 163 decisions
Chellaston Ward
94.6% approval · 148 decisions
Chaddesden Ward
94.0% approval · 134 decisions
Mackworth Ward
92.9% approval · 126 decisions
Oakwood Ward
95.0% approval · 121 decisions
Derwent Ward
94.9% approval · 117 decisions
Sinfin Ward
94.6% approval · 112 decisions
Boulton Ward
98.1% approval · 105 decisions
Sinfin & Osmaston Ward
91.0% approval · 67 decisions
Mackworth & New Zealand Ward
92.2% approval · 64 decisions
Alvaston North Ward
89.7% approval · 58 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Derby, showing how the council decides real applications.
Single storey rear extension (projecting beyond the rear wall of the original ho · Blagreaves Ward · Mon 18 May 2026
Single storey rear extension (projecting beyond the rear wall of the original ho · Mackworth & New Zealand Ward · Wed 13 May 2026
Conversion of existing garage outbuilding and car port to a secure building (gar · Alvaston South Ward · Mon 11 May 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Derby, 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 Derby
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for Derby →
✓ Common refusal reasons in Derby
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 4,507 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Derby
What is the planning approval rate in Derby?
Based on 4,507 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Derby approved 92.8% of applications and refused 7.2%. The council is ranked 178th out of 284 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in Derby?
Derby refuses 7.2% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 14. That is lower than the UK average of 11.7%. Out of 4,507 decided applications since 2020, 324 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of Derby have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in Derby are in Boulton Ward (98.1%), Spondon Ward (97.9%), and Allestree Ward (95.4%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in Derby?
The most common planning application types in Derby are: Full (2,898 decisions, 93.4% approved), Trees (454, 94.5%), and Other (365, 93.4%).
How long does a planning application take in Derby?
Planning applications in Derby take an average of 12.1 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 2,690 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. Derby decides approximately 751 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in Derby?
You can search planning applications in Derby directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 4,507 historical decisions in Derby to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for Derby calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes Derby'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.