Dorset Council approves 92.8% of planning applications, based on 25,048 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Dorset sits 4.2 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 5,490 decided applications, Dorset Council approved 92.6% of planning applications in 2025. Across 25,048 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Dorset is 92.8%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Dorset council planning portal records · Updated August 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 Dorset.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 23,254 | 1,794 | 25,048 | 92.8% |
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward members | 970 | 29 | 999 | 97.1% |
| St. Leonards and St. Ives | 819 | 82 | 901 | 90.9% |
| Gillingham | 798 | 56 | 854 | 93.4% |
| Beacon | 801 | 42 | 843 | 95.0% |
| South East Purbeck | 735 | 49 | 784 | 93.8% |
| West Purbeck | 740 | 37 | 777 | 95.2% |
| Chalk Valleys | 659 | 13 | 672 | 98.1% |
| Wareham | 597 | 62 | 659 | 90.6% |
| Lytchett Matravers and Upton | 555 | 79 | 634 | 87.5% |
| Colehill and Wimborne Minster East | 563 | 39 | 602 | 93.5% |
| Ferndown North | 514 | 41 | 555 | 92.6% |
| Stour and Allen Vale | 447 | 107 | 554 | 80.7% |
| Lyme and Charmouth | 495 | 35 | 530 | 93.4% |
| Verwood | 457 | 69 | 526 | 86.9% |
| Rodwell and Wyke | 465 | 41 | 506 | 91.9% |
| Yetminster | 469 | 33 | 502 | 93.4% |
| Ferndown South | 456 | 34 | 490 | 93.1% |
| Shaftesbury Town | 467 | 19 | 486 | 96.1% |
| Corfe Mullen | 428 | 55 | 483 | 88.6% |
| Swanage | 445 | 37 | 482 | 92.3% |
| Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants | 464 | 15 | 479 | 96.9% |
| Blandford | 447 | 22 | 469 | 95.3% |
| Puddletown and Lower Winterborne | 434 | 18 | 452 | 96.0% |
| Sherborne Rural | 419 | 25 | 444 | 94.4% |
| Dorchester West | 423 | 14 | 437 | 96.8% |
Showing top 25 of 57 wards by volume. Your free property report includes the full ward breakdown.
See full ward breakdown →How Dorset’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 2.7pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Dorset council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| P/FUL/2025/07364 Bridport | Erection of wooden sauna cabin. Retain existing use of pond for bathing with is | Approved |
| P/FUL/2025/04406 South East Purbeck | Erection of 15 dwellings together with the provision of a central green, sports | Approved |
| P/LBC/2026/03667 Lyme and Charmouth | Minor internal works to divide the building into two houses | Approved |
| P/CLE/2026/03479 South East Purbeck | Existing outbuilding used for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelli | Approved |
| P/HOU/2026/03465 Wimborne Minster | Demolish rear conservatory and erect new single storey side and rear extensions | Approved |
| P/LBC/2026/03371 Puddletown and Lower Winterborne | Carry out internal and external alterations including repair and replacement (wh | Approved |
| P/FUL/2026/03354 Wareham | Install rooflight at the rear of the building, east facing | Approved |
| P/VOC/2026/02902 Dorchester East | Erection of 107 No. dwellings & associated works, including the formation of acc | Approved |
| P/FUL/2026/02889 Cranborne and Alderholt | Conversion of existing holiday accommodation to form residential unit. Replace | Approved |
| P/HOU/2026/01808 St. Leonards and St. Ives | Two storey, first floor and single storey extensions. Roof works, roof lights, a | 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 Dorset's 25,048 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Dorset's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Dorset'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 Dorset. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 25,048 real decisions from Dorset 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 Dorset'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 25,048 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Dorset is 92.8%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 25,048 planning decisions from Dorset council. 23,254 were approved and 1,794 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Dorset is 92.8%, 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.
Writing about planning in Dorset? 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.