Newcastle-under-Lyme planning approval rate
Newcastle-under-Lyme council approved 93.8% of planning applications and refused 6.2%, based on 1,184 decisions analysed. Ranked 215th out of 300 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
93.8%
overall approval rate
1,184
Decisions analysed
1,111
Approved
73
Refused
21
Wards covered
Planning in Newcastle-under-Lyme? 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
94.0%
98.1%
97.1%
81.6%
91.3%
100.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Newcastle-under-Lyme, mined from 1,184 proposal descriptions.
97.4%
95.9%
97.2%
97.1%
83.9%
92.1%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Newcastle-under-Lyme. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Maer & Whitmore
86.7%
Town
96.8%
Loggerheads
88.9%
Madeley & Betley
90.7%
Audley
97.8%
Holditch & Chesterton
100.0%
Bradwell
96.2%
Talke & Butt Lane
96.2%
Westlands
94.1%
May Bank
100.0%
Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe
93.6%
Newchapel & Mow Cop
92.9%
Silverdale
94.9%
Knutton
97.4%
Wolstanton
93.9%
Keele
96.8%
Thistleberry
93.5%
Cross Heath
96.2%
Westbury Park & Northwood
100.0%
Wards in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Maer & Whitmore
86.7% approval · 158 decisions
Town
96.8% approval · 124 decisions
Loggerheads
88.9% approval · 108 decisions
Madeley & Betley
90.7% approval · 107 decisions
Audley
97.8% approval · 92 decisions
Holditch & Chesterton
100.0% approval · 57 decisions
Bradwell
96.2% approval · 53 decisions
Talke & Butt Lane
96.2% approval · 53 decisions
Westlands
94.1% approval · 51 decisions
May Bank
100.0% approval · 48 decisions
Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe
93.6% approval · 47 decisions
Newchapel & Mow Cop
92.9% approval · 42 decisions
Silverdale
94.9% approval · 39 decisions
Knutton
97.4% approval · 38 decisions
Wolstanton
93.9% approval · 33 decisions
Keele
96.8% approval · 31 decisions
Thistleberry
93.5% approval · 31 decisions
Cross Heath
96.2% approval · 26 decisions
Westbury Park & Northwood
100.0% approval · 24 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Newcastle-under-Lyme, showing how the council decides real applications.
Re-clad existing totem sign, 2x double sided post mounted corex sign, Refurbish · Thistleberry · Fri 14 Aug 2026
C2 residential institution for 3no. children · Crackley & Red Street · Fri 14 Aug 2026
C2 residential institution for 3no. children · Crackley & Red Street · Fri 14 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Newcastle-under-Lyme, 1 in 16 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Full Planning Analysis gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in Newcastle-under-Lyme
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for Newcastle-under-Lyme →
✓ Common refusal reasons in Newcastle-under-Lyme
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 1,184 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Newcastle-under-Lyme
What is the planning approval rate in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Based on 1,184 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Newcastle-under-Lyme approved 93.8% of applications and refused 6.2%. The council is ranked 215th out of 300 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Newcastle-under-Lyme refuses 6.2% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 16. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 1,184 decided applications since 2020, 73 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of Newcastle-under-Lyme have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in Newcastle-under-Lyme are in Holditch & Chesterton (100.0%), Audley (97.8%), and Town (96.8%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
The most common planning application types in Newcastle-under-Lyme are: Full (448 decisions, 94.0% approved), Discharge of Conditions (309, 98.1%), and Trees (170, 97.1%).
How long does a planning application take in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Planning applications in Newcastle-under-Lyme take an average of 9.8 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 1,178 decisions with a recorded timeline. That is slower than the 8-week statutory target for householder applications (the statutory targets are 8 weeks for householder applications and 13 weeks for major developments). PlanningLens measures the actual time each application takes, not just the target. Newcastle-under-Lyme decides approximately 197 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
You can search planning applications in Newcastle-under-Lyme directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 1,184 historical decisions in Newcastle-under-Lyme to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for Newcastle-under-Lyme calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes Newcastle-under-Lyme's official planning portal and analyses every published decision since January 2020. The approval rate is calculated as approved decisions divided by total decided applications, excluding withdrawn and pending applications. The full methodology, data sourcing, and Creative Commons BY 4.0 licensing terms are published at planninglens.co.uk/methodology.