Neath Port Talbot Council approves 95.4% of planning applications, based on 26,607 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Neath Port Talbot sits 6.8 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 673 decided applications, Neath Port Talbot Council approved 97.2% of planning applications in 2025. Across 26,607 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 95.4%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Neath Port Talbot council planning portal records · Updated August 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 Neath Port Talbot.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full | 15,102 | 757 | 15,859 | 95.2% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 5,061 | 49 | 5,110 | 99.0% |
| Other | 1,871 | 294 | 2,165 | 86.4% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 1,335 | 8 | 1,343 | 99.4% |
| Trees | 719 | 42 | 761 | 94.5% |
| Advertisement | 693 | 62 | 755 | 91.8% |
| Prior Approval | 401 | 13 | 414 | 96.9% |
| Listed Building | 189 | 11 | 200 | 94.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margam & Taibach | 1,485 | 59 | 1,544 | 96.2% |
| Coedffranc West | 1,399 | 40 | 1,439 | 97.2% |
| Pontardawe | 1,292 | 73 | 1,365 | 94.7% |
| Baglan | 1,262 | 60 | 1,322 | 95.5% |
| Bryn And Cwmavon | 1,203 | 83 | 1,286 | 93.5% |
| Neath North | 1,139 | 32 | 1,171 | 97.3% |
| Bryncoch South | 1,123 | 45 | 1,168 | 96.1% |
| Port Talbot | 874 | 42 | 916 | 95.4% |
| Aberavon | 794 | 22 | 816 | 97.3% |
| Sandfields East | 771 | 23 | 794 | 97.1% |
| Glynneath Central & East | 739 | 43 | 782 | 94.5% |
| Neath East | 731 | 35 | 766 | 95.4% |
| Sandfields West | 715 | 14 | 729 | 98.1% |
| Rhos | 672 | 40 | 712 | 94.4% |
| Gwaun Cae Gurwen & Lower Brynamman | 578 | 52 | 630 | 91.7% |
| Alltwen | 604 | 25 | 629 | 96.0% |
| Dyffryn | 580 | 43 | 623 | 93.1% |
| Resolven & Tonna | 577 | 44 | 621 | 92.9% |
| Coedffranc Central | 510 | 31 | 541 | 94.3% |
| Bryncoch North | 489 | 27 | 516 | 94.8% |
| Crynant, Onllwyn & Seven Sisters | 480 | 26 | 506 | 94.9% |
| Cimla & Pelenna | 463 | 27 | 490 | 94.5% |
| Neath South | 469 | 17 | 486 | 96.5% |
| Aberdulais | 448 | 27 | 475 | 94.3% |
| Cymmer & Glyncorrwg | 451 | 20 | 471 | 95.8% |
Showing top 25 of 43 wards by volume. Your free property report includes the full ward breakdown.
See full ward breakdown →How Neath Port Talbot’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 0.7pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Neath Port Talbot council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| P2026/0253 Briton Ferry East | Proposed construction of 2no. outdoor padel courts including raised platform to | Approved |
| P2026/0436 Margam & Taibach | Alterations to shop front comprising a proposed roller shutter and new stepped e | Approved |
| P2026/0501 Sandfields West | Proposed Lawful Development Certificate of a single storey rear extension | Approved |
| P2026/0317 Dyffryn | Demolition of existing rear school building, sections of walls, car port and oth | Approved |
| P2026/0388 Glynneath Central & East | Proposed single-storey extensions, and raise roof of bungalow to allow use of fi | Approved |
| P2026/0356 Aberavon | Construction of a fenced childrens play area comprising fixed play equipment, sa | Approved |
| P2026/0337 Margam & Taibach | Side extension and new front pillar | Approved |
| P2026/0367 Glynneath Central & East | Single storey flat roof rear extension | Approved |
| P2026/0238 Port Talbot | First floor rear extension over existing ground floor extension. | Approved |
| P2026/0363 Coedffranc West | Proposed single storey front and side extension. | 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 Neath Port Talbot's 26,607 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Neath Port Talbot's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Neath Port Talbot'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 Neath Port Talbot. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 26,607 real decisions from Neath Port Talbot 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 Neath Port Talbot'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 26,607 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 95.4%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 26,607 planning decisions from Neath Port Talbot council. 25,371 were approved and 1,236 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 95.4%, 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 Neath Port Talbot? 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.