Neath Port Talbot Council approves 94.1% of planning applications, based on 18,309 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Neath Port Talbot sits 9.1 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 18,309 decisions on record (June 2001 to October 2026), the overall approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 94.1%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Neath Port Talbot council planning portal records · Data to 2 October 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
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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 | 15,154 | 759 | 15,913 | 95.2% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 5,073 | 50 | 5,123 | 99.0% |
| Other | 1,875 | 294 | 2,169 | 86.4% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 1,345 | 8 | 1,353 | 99.4% |
| Trees | 721 | 42 | 763 | 94.5% |
| Advertisement | 694 | 62 | 756 | 91.8% |
| Prior Approval | 402 | 13 | 415 | 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 | 1,487 | 60 | 1,547 | 96.1% |
| Coedffranc West | 1,403 | 40 | 1,443 | 97.2% |
| Pontardawe | 1,295 | 73 | 1,368 | 94.7% |
| Baglan | 1,266 | 60 | 1,326 | 95.5% |
| Bryn And Cwmavon | 1,208 | 83 | 1,291 | 93.6% |
| Neath North | 1,144 | 32 | 1,176 | 97.3% |
| Bryncoch South | 1,126 | 45 | 1,171 | 96.2% |
| Port Talbot | 879 | 42 | 921 | 95.4% |
| Aberavon | 795 | 22 | 817 | 97.3% |
| Sandfields East | 775 | 23 | 798 | 97.1% |
| Glynneath Central & East | 740 | 43 | 783 | 94.5% |
| Neath East | 733 | 35 | 768 | 95.4% |
| Sandfields West | 719 | 14 | 733 | 98.1% |
| Rhos | 679 | 40 | 719 | 94.4% |
| Alltwen | 607 | 25 | 632 | 96.0% |
| Gwaun Cae Gurwen & Lower Brynamman | 579 | 52 | 631 | 91.8% |
| Resolven & Tonna | 582 | 45 | 627 | 92.8% |
| Dyffryn | 581 | 43 | 624 | 93.1% |
| Coedffranc Central | 514 | 31 | 545 | 94.3% |
| Bryncoch North | 491 | 27 | 518 | 94.8% |
| Crynant, Onllwyn & Seven Sisters | 482 | 26 | 508 | 94.9% |
| Cimla & Pelenna | 465 | 27 | 492 | 94.5% |
| Neath South | 472 | 17 | 489 | 96.5% |
| Aberdulais | 449 | 27 | 476 | 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 0.9pp 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 |
|---|---|---|
| P2026/0556 Crynant, Onllwyn & Seven Sisters | Proposed Lawful Development Certificate for a single storey rear extension. | Approved |
| P2026/0532 Pontardawe | Proposed Lawful Development Certificate for use of part of the dwellinghouse (ex | Approved |
| P2026/0456 Baglan | Proposed two storey side extension, replacement single storey rear extension and | Approved |
| P2026/0448 Neath North | Change of use from a shop (class A1) to a nail bar (unique use) | Approved |
| P2026/0604 Resolven & Tonna | Proposed Lawful Development Certificate of a single storey rear extension | Approved |
| P2026/0540 Resolven & Tonna | First floor and single storey rear extension | Approved |
| P2026/0550 Sandfields East | Single storey side and two storey rear extension | Approved |
| P2026/0345 Neath South | Proposed conversion of dwelling into 2 No 2 bedroom self contained flats | Approved |
| P2023/0387 Cimla & Pelenna | Demolition of former school buildings and construction of 7 new residential dwel | Approved |
| P2026/0516 Port Talbot | Alterations to shopfront including removal of night safe and ATM. | 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 18,309 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 18,309 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 18,309 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 94.1%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 18,309 planning decisions from Neath Port Talbot council. 17,228 were approved and 1,081 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, June 2001 to October 2026.
The average approval rate in Neath Port Talbot is 94.1%, 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.