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Midlothian planning approval rate

Midlothian council approved 95.7% of planning applications and refused 4.3%, based on 951 decisions analysed. Ranked 196th out of 221 councils for strictness.

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

95.7%
overall approval rate
951
Decisions analysed
910
Approved
41
Refused
6
Wards covered
Planning in Midlothian? 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 Midlothian. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.

Other (535 decided)
93.3%
Trees (238 decided)
100.0%
95.5%
Listed Building (39 decided)
97.4%
Advertisement (36 decided)
97.2%
Prior Approval (29 decided)
100.0%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Midlothian — mined from 951 proposal descriptions.

Extension (General) (253 decided)
95.7%
Garage / Parking (72 decided)
94.4%
86.4%
Outbuilding (32 decided)
96.9%
Conservatory (22 decided)
100.0%
New Build (20 decided)
80.0%
Dormer (15 decided)
80.0%

Approval rate by ward

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

Midlothian East (247 decided)
98.0%
Midlothian West (185 decided)
94.1%
Bonnyrigg (163 decided)
95.7%
Dalkeith (127 decided)
96.9%
Penicuik (117 decided)
96.6%
Midlothian South (111 decided)
91.0%

Wards in Midlothian

Midlothian East
98.0% approval · 247 decisions
Midlothian West
94.1% approval · 185 decisions
Bonnyrigg
95.7% approval · 163 decisions
Dalkeith
96.9% approval · 127 decisions
Penicuik
96.6% approval · 117 decisions
Midlothian South
91.0% approval · 111 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

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

Extension to dwellinghouse · Midlothian East · Mon 09 Mar 2026
Approved
Erection of agricultural building · Dalkeith · Fri 06 Mar 2026
Approved
Erection of porch, extension and installation of window opening to flatted prope · Bonnyrigg · Mon 02 Mar 2026
Approved

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

What gets approved near your property?

In Midlothian, 1 in 23 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 Midlothian
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Get Midlothian Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 951 decisions.

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