Lincoln Council approves 94.1% of planning applications, based on 3,445 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Lincoln sits 9.1 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 668 decided applications, Lincoln Council approved 96.1% of planning applications in 2025. Across 3,445 decisions on record (January 2018 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in Lincoln is 94.1%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Lincoln council planning portal records · Data to 29 September 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
Enter your postcode for a free, personalised approval pattern report, based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Lincoln.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full | 2,561 | 164 | 2,725 | 94.0% |
| Trees | 1,507 | 92 | 1,599 | 94.2% |
| Other | 1,012 | 8 | 1,020 | 99.2% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 525 | 12 | 537 | 97.8% |
| Listed Building | 377 | 4 | 381 | 99.0% |
| Advertisement | 286 | 26 | 312 | 91.7% |
| Change of Use | 279 | 21 | 300 | 93.0% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 169 | 2 | 171 | 98.8% |
| Prior Approval | 96 | 9 | 105 | 91.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carholme | 1,216 | 59 | 1,275 | 95.4% |
| Hartsholme | 853 | 68 | 921 | 92.6% |
| Park | 843 | 59 | 902 | 93.5% |
| Abbey | 836 | 43 | 879 | 95.1% |
| Minster | 798 | 15 | 813 | 98.2% |
| Boultham | 707 | 31 | 738 | 95.8% |
| Castle | 470 | 15 | 485 | 96.9% |
| Birchwood | 303 | 21 | 324 | 93.5% |
| Moorland | 268 | 12 | 280 | 95.7% |
| Witham | 268 | 11 | 279 | 96.1% |
| Glebe | 233 | 4 | 237 | 98.3% |
How Lincoln’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 1.8pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Lincoln council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 2026/0285/HOU Minster | Formation of new access in existing wall, additional driveway space created and | Approved |
| 2026/0494/FUL Witham | Installation of shop front to front elevation. | Approved |
| 2026/0460/FUL Carholme | Change of use from 6-bed HMO (Use Class C4) to 1no. bed flat (C3) and 4-bed HMO | Approved |
| 2026/0498/CLE Park | Continued use of property as a House in Multiple Occupation (Class C4). (Applica | Approved |
| 2026/0490/FUL Abbey | Change of use from (Use Class B8) to Wellness, Fitness and Recovery Facility (Us | Approved |
| 2026/0488/LBC Carholme | Removal and replacement of the existing external French door set, including the | Approved |
| 2026/0459/FUL Minster | Alterations and enlargement of the existing reception area, including the instal | Approved |
| 2026/0418/FUL Birchwood | Installation of 2 windows and 1 door opening. | Approved |
| 2024/0233/CLE Abbey | Continued use of property as an 18 bedroomed House in Multiple Occupation (Sui G | Approved |
| 2026/0529/PAD Carholme | Determination of whether or not prior approval is required for the demolition of | 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 Lincoln's 3,445 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Lincoln's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Lincoln'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 Lincoln. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 3,445 real decisions from Lincoln 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 Lincoln'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 3,445 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Lincoln is 94.1%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 3,445 planning decisions from Lincoln council. 3,243 were approved and 202 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, January 2018 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in Lincoln is 94.1%, 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 Lincoln? 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.