Midlothian Council approves 92.7% of planning applications, based on 941 decisions from the council’s public planning portal. The national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%. Midlothian is 5.2 percentage points above that rate.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 354 decided applications, Midlothian Council approved 91.8% of planning applications in 2025. Across 941 decisions on record (March 2021 to October 2026), the overall approval rate in Midlothian is 92.7%; the national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Midlothian council planning portal records · Data to 19 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 Midlothian, including types that the headline rate leaves out, so its totals are larger than the headline figure.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 823 | 70 | 893 | 92.2% |
| Trees | 269 | 0 | 269 | 100.0% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 98 | 9 | 107 | 91.6% |
| Listed Building | 90 | 4 | 94 | 95.7% |
| Advertisement | 54 | 2 | 56 | 96.4% |
| Prior Approval | 36 | 1 | 37 | 97.3% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 23 | 0 | 23 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midlothian East | 332 | 8 | 340 | 97.6% |
| Midlothian West | 300 | 21 | 321 | 93.5% |
| Bonnyrigg | 221 | 16 | 237 | 93.2% |
| Dalkeith | 209 | 13 | 222 | 94.1% |
| Penicuik | 170 | 8 | 178 | 95.5% |
| Midlothian South | 156 | 20 | 176 | 88.6% |
How Midlothian’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 5.4pp since 2021.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 26/00515/PNDEM Midlothian West | Demolition of dwellinghouse | Approved |
| 26/00493/DPP Bonnyrigg | Extension to dwellinghouse | Approved |
| 26/00410/DPP Bonnyrigg | Extension to dwellinghouse | Approved |
| 26/00025/DPP Penicuik | Extension to dwellinghouse and erection of garage | Approved |
| 26/00402/DPP Dalkeith | Extension to dwellinghouse; formation of window openings | Approved |
| 26/00457/DPP Midlothian South | Erection of outbuilding (Retrospective) | Approved |
| 26/00454/CL Midlothian West | Extension to dwellinghouse (Proposed) | Approved |
| 26/00455/CL Midlothian South | Alterations to garage to form window openings (Proposed) | Approved |
| 26/00436/DPP Midlothian South | Alteration to window to form door to flatted dwelling | Approved |
| 26/00420/LBC Penicuik | External and internal alterations including installation of rooflight, alteratio | 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 Midlothian's 941 decisions.
Check my postcodeCompare Midlothian's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Midlothian'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 Midlothian. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 941 real decisions from Midlothian 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 Midlothian'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 941 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Midlothian is 92.7%. The national approval rate across the councils PlanningLens tracks is 87.43%.
PlanningLens has analysed 941 planning decisions from Midlothian council. 872 were approved and 69 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, March 2021 to October 2026.
The average approval rate in Midlothian is 92.7%, 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 Midlothian? 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.