Which ward in Midlothian has the highest planning approval rate?

Midlothian East at 98.0% based on 247 decisions.

Which ward in Midlothian has the lowest planning approval rate?

Midlothian South at 91.0% based on 111 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Midlothian?

There is a 7.0% gap between Midlothian East and Midlothian South. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Midlothian

Planning outcomes in Midlothian are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 7.0% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

951 real decisions·6 wards·Updated March 2026

95.7% approved overall. But 41 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Midlothian shifts your odds by up to 7.0%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 6 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Midlothian East	247	242	5	98.0%
2	Dalkeith	127	123	4	96.9%
3	Penicuik	117	113	4	96.6%
4	Bonnyrigg	163	156	7	95.7%
5	Midlothian West	185	174	11	94.1%
6	Midlothian South	111	101	10	91.0%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Midlothian East but face serious resistance in Midlothian South.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 7.0% gap separates the best and worst wards. Midlothian East approves 98.0% of applications while Midlothian South approves just 91.0%. That's a fundamentally different planning environment.

High volume doesn't mean high approval. Some of the busiest wards aren't the most permissive. The number of applications a ward processes tells you nothing about how likely yours is to succeed.

Ward averages are a starting point, not a guarantee. Your specific outcome depends on your property, your neighbours, your proposal type and the comparable decisions near your address.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

41 planning applications in Midlothian have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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More Midlothian planning data

Methodology: Covers 951 planning decisions in Midlothian, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Midlothian Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →