Lancaster planning approval rate

Lancaster council approved 93.3% of planning applications and refused 6.7%, based on 4,014 decisions analysed. Ranked 166th out of 237 councils for strictness.

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

93.3%

overall approval rate

4,014

Decisions analysed

3,745

Approved

269

Refused

Wards covered

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

Trees (1,184 decided)

96.7%

Other (1,044 decided)

90.8%

Full (908 decided)

92.6%

Discharge of Conditions (337 decided)

94.1%

Certificate of Lawfulness (313 decided)

94.2%

Listed Building (63 decided)

98.4%

Advertisement (59 decided)

89.8%

Prior Approval (58 decided)

81.0%

Change of Use (48 decided)

77.1%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Lancaster — mined from 4,014 proposal descriptions.

Extension (General) (434 decided)

93.8%

Rear Extension (354 decided)

93.8%

Garage / Parking (266 decided)

94.4%

Dormer (211 decided)

91.0%

Conservatory (160 decided)

95.6%

Side Extension (148 decided)

93.2%

New Build (106 decided)

92.5%

Change of Use (Residential) (98 decided)

85.7%

Outbuilding (88 decided)

90.9%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (56 decided)

92.9%

Wraparound Extension (29 decided)

96.6%

Loft Conversion (26 decided)

92.3%

Flat Conversion (12 decided)

41.7%

Annex (11 decided)

90.9%

Basement (11 decided)

90.9%

Front Extension (11 decided)

100.0%

Approval rate by ward

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

Lower Lune Valley Ward (201 decided)

90.5%

Bolton And Slyne Ward (168 decided)

95.2%

Upper Lune Valley Ward (154 decided)

91.6%

Upper Lune Valley (142 decided)

94.4%

Ellel Ward (139 decided)

82.7%

Silverdale Ward (129 decided)

95.3%

Kellet Ward 2015 (125 decided)

88.0%

Lower Lune Valley (119 decided)

94.1%

Silverdale (113 decided)

92.9%

Castle Ward (109 decided)

94.5%

Scotforth West Ward (108 decided)

95.4%

Ellel (105 decided)

96.2%

Castle (105 decided)

95.2%

Dukes (104 decided)

95.2%

Slyne With Hest (96 decided)

90.6%

Kellet (92 decided)

94.6%

Scotforth West (88 decided)

93.2%

Marsh Ward (84 decided)

96.4%

Bolton Le Sands (83 decided)

91.6%

Torrisholme (75 decided)

93.3%

Wards in Lancaster

Lower Lune Valley Ward

90.5% approval · 201 decisions

Bolton And Slyne Ward

95.2% approval · 168 decisions

Upper Lune Valley Ward

91.6% approval · 154 decisions

Upper Lune Valley

94.4% approval · 142 decisions

Ellel Ward

82.7% approval · 139 decisions

Silverdale Ward

95.3% approval · 129 decisions

Kellet Ward 2015

88.0% approval · 125 decisions

Lower Lune Valley

94.1% approval · 119 decisions

Silverdale

92.9% approval · 113 decisions

Castle Ward

94.5% approval · 109 decisions

Scotforth West Ward

95.4% approval · 108 decisions

Ellel

96.2% approval · 105 decisions

Castle

95.2% approval · 105 decisions

Dukes

95.2% approval · 104 decisions

Slyne With Hest

90.6% approval · 96 decisions

Kellet

94.6% approval · 92 decisions

Scotforth West

93.2% approval · 88 decisions

Marsh Ward

96.4% approval · 84 decisions

Bolton Le Sands

91.6% approval · 83 decisions

Torrisholme

93.3% approval · 75 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

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

26/00258/EIR

Screening request for the erection of machinery/agricultural storage building · Lower Lune Valley Ward · Tue 10 Mar 2026

Approved

26/00222/EIR

Screening request for the erection of a steel framed building to create a new si · Ellel Ward · Tue 10 Mar 2026

Approved

26/00176/PLDC

Proposed lawful development certificate for the conversion of the existing roof · Bowerham Ward · Tue 24 Feb 2026

Approved

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the full report →

What gets approved near your property?

In Lancaster, 1 in 15 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 Lancaster
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Free planning check for Lancaster →

Free. Based on 4,014 decisions.

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