Moray Council approves 97.9% of planning applications, based on 1,511 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Moray sits 9.6 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 320 decided applications, Moray Council approved 96.6% of planning applications in 2025. Across 1,511 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Moray is 97.9%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Moray council planning portal records · Updated June 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
Enter your postcode for a free, personalised approval pattern report, based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Moray.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 1,075 | 24 | 1,099 | 97.8% |
| Prior Approval | 178 | 0 | 178 | 100.0% |
| Listed Building | 146 | 2 | 148 | 98.6% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 42 | 3 | 45 | 93.3% |
| Advertisement | 39 | 2 | 41 | 95.1% |
A loft conversion in one ward can have a 90% approval rate. In the next ward, 55%. The free check tells you which side you're on, your free property report is emailed in minutes.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speyside Glenlivet | 265 | 7 | 272 | 97.4% |
| Forres | 238 | 2 | 240 | 99.2% |
| Heldon And Laich | 221 | 6 | 227 | 97.4% |
| Fochabers Lhanbryde | 212 | 3 | 215 | 98.6% |
| Keith And Cullen | 184 | 5 | 189 | 97.4% |
| Elgin City South | 153 | 4 | 157 | 97.5% |
| Buckie | 103 | 1 | 104 | 99.0% |
| Elgin City North | 99 | 3 | 102 | 97.1% |
How Moray’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 1.5pp since 2021.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Moray council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/00536/APP Elgin City South | Change of use of flat to short term let at | Approved |
| 26/00746/APP Heldon And Laich | Erect new conservatory at | Approved |
| 25/00428/APP Forres | Demolish derelict farm buildings and erection of two dwellinghouses with detache | Approved |
| 26/00263/APP Speyside Glenlivet | Change of house type approved under ref 22/00220/APP on | Approved |
| 26/00135/APP Keith And Cullen | Erect 1no dwellinghouse with double garage linked by car port on | Approved |
| 26/00633/APP Elgin City South | Erect replacement extension to rear of | Approved |
| 26/00335/APP Heldon And Laich | Siting of 21 static holiday caravans associated access parking infrastructure an | Approved |
| 26/00549/APP Speyside Glenlivet | Alter and extend dwellinghouse at | Approved |
| 25/00279/APP Forres | Residential development of 5 homes and associated road, landscaping, infrastruct | Approved |
| 26/00019/APP Buckie | Convert existing dilapidated building into dwellinghouse at | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your free property report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on Moray's 1,511 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Moray's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Moray'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 Moray. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 1,511 real decisions from Moray 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 Moray'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 1,511 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Moray is 97.9%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.3%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 1,511 planning decisions from Moray council. 1,480 were approved and 31 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Moray is 97.9%, 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.
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