Middlesbrough Council approves 92.0% of planning applications, based on 15,761 decisions from the council’s public planning portal. The national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%. Middlesbrough is 4.5 percentage points above that rate.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 528 decided applications, Middlesbrough Council approved 82.2% of planning applications in 2025. Across 15,761 decisions on record (July 2001 to October 2026), the overall approval rate in Middlesbrough is 92.0%; the national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Middlesbrough council planning portal records · Data to 16 October 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
Enter your postcode to see approval patterns for your ward and application type.
This table counts every decided application in Middlesbrough, including types that the headline rate leaves out, so its totals are larger than the headline figure.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 11,449 | 661 | 12,110 | 94.5% |
| Full | 3,245 | 500 | 3,745 | 86.6% |
| Advertisement | 993 | 69 | 1,062 | 93.5% |
| Trees | 648 | 68 | 716 | 90.5% |
| Change of Use | 340 | 86 | 426 | 79.8% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 259 | 19 | 278 | 93.2% |
| Listed Building | 249 | 18 | 267 | 93.3% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 115 | 21 | 136 | 84.6% |
| Prior Approval | 106 | 18 | 124 | 85.5% |
The free check shows approval patterns for your postcode. The property report follows by email.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunthorpe | 1,097 | 94 | 1,191 | 92.1% |
| Coulby Newham | 1,088 | 53 | 1,141 | 95.4% |
| Linthorpe | 1,000 | 119 | 1,119 | 89.4% |
| Central | 968 | 108 | 1,076 | 90.0% |
| Marton West | 953 | 67 | 1,020 | 93.4% |
| Park | 729 | 106 | 835 | 87.3% |
| Marton East | 750 | 76 | 826 | 90.8% |
| Kader | 723 | 84 | 807 | 89.6% |
| Stainton And Thornton | 537 | 31 | 568 | 94.5% |
| Brambles/Thorntree | 440 | 34 | 474 | 92.8% |
| Ladgate | 400 | 22 | 422 | 94.8% |
| Acklam | 348 | 44 | 392 | 88.8% |
| Newport | 221 | 58 | 279 | 79.2% |
| Hemlington | 232 | 16 | 248 | 93.5% |
| Longlands/Beechwood | 203 | 42 | 245 | 82.9% |
| Park End/Beckfield | 217 | 14 | 231 | 93.9% |
| Berwick Hills/Pallister | 206 | 15 | 221 | 93.2% |
| Ayresome | 151 | 36 | 187 | 80.7% |
| North Ormesby | 136 | 22 | 158 | 86.1% |
| Trimdon | 131 | 15 | 146 | 89.7% |
| Marton West, Nunthorpe | 8 | 0 | 8 | 100.0% |
| Ayresome, Kader | 6 | 2 | 8 | 75.0% |
How Middlesbrough’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 11.0pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Each reference links to the record on the council’s planning portal.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/0024/COU Central | Change of use to student accommodation including alterations for the creation of | Approved |
| 26/0025/COU Central | Change of use to student accommodation including alterations for the creation of | Approved |
| 26/0026/COU Central | Change of use to residential dwelling including alterations for the creation of | Approved |
| 26/0360/FUL Coulby Newham | Single storey extension to rear with part raising of existing flat roof, replace | Approved |
| 26/0379/FUL Kader | Installation of 2no. gates to rear yard | Approved |
| 26/0078/PND | Demolition of car park and hardstanding | Approved |
| 26/0117/FUL Linthorpe | Part retrospective erection of wall, railings and gates and installation of addi | Approved |
| 26/0331/LBC Nunthorpe | Installation of 2no. velux windows to roof of rear ground floor single storey ro | Approved |
| 26/0431/SCON | Reserved matters application with all matters reserved for the erection of 1no. | Approved |
| 26/0317/FUL Nunthorpe | Single storey side extension to rear with parapet roof | Approved |
See what has been approved and refused near your address. The property report covers the 20 nearest decisions, refusal patterns in your ward and approval rates by project type, drawn from Middlesbrough's 15,761 decisions.
Check my postcodeCompare Middlesbrough's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Middlesbrough'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 Middlesbrough. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 15,761 real decisions from Middlesbrough 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 Middlesbrough'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 15,761 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Middlesbrough is 92.0%. The national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%.
PlanningLens has analysed 15,761 planning decisions from Middlesbrough council. 14,494 were approved and 1,267 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, July 2001 to October 2026.
The average approval rate in Middlesbrough is 92.0%, 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 Middlesbrough? 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.