Manchester planning approval rate

Manchester council approved 87.9% of planning applications and refused 12.1%, based on 13,750 decisions analysed. Ranked 73rd out of 221 councils for strictness.

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

87.9%

overall approval rate

13,750

Decisions analysed

12,085

Approved

1,665

Refused

Wards covered

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

Full (5,548 decided)

89.7%

Discharge of Conditions (4,398 decided)

84.9%

Trees (774 decided)

97.0%

Advertisement (690 decided)

79.9%

Certificate of Lawfulness (654 decided)

80.7%

Change of Use (632 decided)

91.9%

Listed Building (561 decided)

97.5%

Other (398 decided)

85.7%

Prior Approval (95 decided)

77.9%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Manchester — mined from 13,750 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (2,381 decided)

91.6%

Side Extension (1,510 decided)

92.1%

Garage / Parking (1,021 decided)

87.5%

Dormer (730 decided)

86.3%

Change of Use (Residential) (572 decided)

80.1%

Wraparound Extension (521 decided)

94.8%

New Build (456 decided)

84.4%

Extension (General) (450 decided)

86.0%

Outbuilding (285 decided)

85.3%

Basement (274 decided)

89.8%

Front Extension (250 decided)

88.4%

HMO (214 decided)

64.0%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (170 decided)

81.8%

Conservatory (138 decided)

93.5%

Loft Conversion (126 decided)

87.3%

Flat Conversion (94 decided)

69.1%

Annex (22 decided)

86.4%

Approval rate by ward

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

Deansgate Ward (2,003 decided)

93.3%

Piccadilly Ward (1,367 decided)

92.0%

Didsbury West Ward (743 decided)

91.0%

Didsbury East Ward (613 decided)

91.5%

Chorlton Ward (604 decided)

91.6%

Chorlton Park Ward (539 decided)

85.2%

Ancoats & Beswick Ward (508 decided)

91.9%

Hulme Ward (500 decided)

93.0%

Whalley Range Ward (481 decided)

85.9%

Cheetham Ward (453 decided)

82.1%

Crumpsall Ward (385 decided)

84.9%

Ardwick Ward (383 decided)

86.4%

Withington Ward (368 decided)

82.9%

Miles Platting & Newton Heath Ward (362 decided)

77.6%

Rusholme Ward (354 decided)

80.2%

Northenden Ward (325 decided)

83.4%

Woodhouse Park Ward (321 decided)

91.6%

Clayton & Openshaw Ward (306 decided)

87.9%

Burnage Ward (301 decided)

82.1%

Levenshulme Ward (264 decided)

86.0%

Wards in Manchester

Deansgate Ward

93.3% approval · 2,003 decisions

Piccadilly Ward

92.0% approval · 1,367 decisions

Didsbury West Ward

91.0% approval · 743 decisions

Didsbury East Ward

91.5% approval · 613 decisions

Chorlton Ward

91.6% approval · 604 decisions

Chorlton Park Ward

85.2% approval · 539 decisions

Ancoats & Beswick Ward

91.9% approval · 508 decisions

Hulme Ward

93.0% approval · 500 decisions

Whalley Range Ward

85.9% approval · 481 decisions

Cheetham Ward

82.1% approval · 453 decisions

Crumpsall Ward

84.9% approval · 385 decisions

Ardwick Ward

86.4% approval · 383 decisions

Withington Ward

82.9% approval · 368 decisions

Miles Platting & Newton Heath Ward

77.6% approval · 362 decisions

Rusholme Ward

80.2% approval · 354 decisions

Northenden Ward

83.4% approval · 325 decisions

Woodhouse Park Ward

91.6% approval · 321 decisions

Clayton & Openshaw Ward

87.9% approval · 306 decisions

Burnage Ward

82.1% approval · 301 decisions

Levenshulme Ward

86.0% approval · 264 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

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

144936/FO/2026

Replacement of roof light. · Deansgate Ward · Thu 26 Feb 2026

Approved

144937/LO/2026

Listed Building Consent for the replacement of roof light. · Deansgate Ward · Thu 26 Feb 2026

Approved

144854/FH/2026

Erection of single-storey rear and side extension · Didsbury East Ward · Thu 26 Feb 2026

Approved

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →

What gets approved near your property?

In Manchester, 1 in 8 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 Manchester
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get Manchester Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 13,750 decisions.

Compare with nearby councils

Trafford Oldham Tameside Wigan

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