Dorset planning approval rate
Dorset council approved 92.4% of planning applications and refused 7.6%, based on 8,267 decisions analysed. Ranked 139th out of 221 councils for strictness.
Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
92.4%
overall approval rate
Planning in Dorset?
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 Dorset. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Dorset — mined from 8,267 proposal descriptions.
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Dorset. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Beacon (311 decided)
95.5%
Gillingham (310 decided)
93.5%
St. Leonards and St. Ives (292 decided)
92.5%
Bridport (282 decided)
94.7%
West Purbeck (239 decided)
96.2%
South East Purbeck (238 decided)
92.4%
Chesil Bank (233 decided)
94.4%
Chalk Valleys (231 decided)
97.4%
Lytchett Matravers and Upton (223 decided)
85.2%
Wareham (206 decided)
90.3%
Ferndown North (196 decided)
91.3%
Colehill and Wimborne Minster East (192 decided)
92.2%
Stour and Allen Vale (190 decided)
79.5%
Marshwood Vale (190 decided)
91.6%
Rodwell and Wyke (186 decided)
89.2%
Verwood (183 decided)
81.4%
Lyme and Charmouth (182 decided)
93.4%
Eggardon (176 decided)
90.9%
Yetminster (174 decided)
93.7%
Ferndown South (171 decided)
91.2%
Wards in Dorset
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Dorset, showing how the council decides real applications.
P/HOU/2026/00189
Raise roof to existing porch & garage with alterations · Littlemoor and Preston · 13/03/2026
P/HOU/2026/00121
Erect single storey extension to front elevation to enlarge garage and single st · Corfe Mullen · 13/03/2026
P/LBC/2025/07273
Internal and external alterations to The Old Rectory including demolition of gar · Sherborne Rural · 13/03/2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Dorset, 1 in 13 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 Dorset
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Get Dorset Pro Report — £79
Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 8,267 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils