North Kesteven planning approval rate
North Kesteven council approved 97.5% of planning applications and refused 2.5%, based on 719 decisions analysed. Ranked 283rd out of 300 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
97.5%
overall approval rate
719
Decisions analysed
701
Approved
18
Refused
23
Wards covered
Planning in North Kesteven? 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 North Kesteven. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
96.8%
95.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in North Kesteven, mined from 719 proposal descriptions.
99.1%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
98.1%
95.7%
96.8%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within North Kesteven. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Navenby And Brant Broughton
96.7%
Skellingthorpe And Eagle
96.2%
Heighington And Washingborough
100.0%
Witham St Hughs And Swinderby
100.0%
Heckington Rural
95.3%
Waddington Rural
94.7%
Metheringham Rural
97.3%
Billinghay Rural
100.0%
Helpringham And Osbournby
100.0%
Sleaford Westholme
100.0%
Hykeham Central
100.0%
Hykeham Fosse
100.0%
Sleaford Navigation
93.1%
Branston
92.3%
Ashby De La Launde, Digby And Scopwick
100.0%
Hykeham Memorial
100.0%
Kirkby La Thorpe And South Kyme
95.2%
Sleaford Quarrington And Mareham
100.0%
Bassingham Rural
95.2%
Ruskington
100.0%
Wards in North Kesteven
Navenby And Brant Broughton
96.7% approval · 60 decisions
Skellingthorpe And Eagle
96.2% approval · 52 decisions
Heighington And Washingborough
100.0% approval · 44 decisions
Witham St Hughs And Swinderby
100.0% approval · 44 decisions
Heckington Rural
95.3% approval · 43 decisions
Waddington Rural
94.7% approval · 38 decisions
Metheringham Rural
97.3% approval · 37 decisions
Billinghay Rural
100.0% approval · 36 decisions
Helpringham And Osbournby
100.0% approval · 32 decisions
Sleaford Westholme
100.0% approval · 31 decisions
Hykeham Central
100.0% approval · 30 decisions
Hykeham Fosse
100.0% approval · 30 decisions
Sleaford Navigation
93.1% approval · 29 decisions
Branston
92.3% approval · 26 decisions
Ashby De La Launde, Digby And Scopwick
100.0% approval · 26 decisions
Hykeham Memorial
100.0% approval · 22 decisions
Kirkby La Thorpe And South Kyme
95.2% approval · 21 decisions
Sleaford Quarrington And Mareham
100.0% approval · 21 decisions
Bassingham Rural
95.2% approval · 21 decisions
Ruskington
100.0% approval · 21 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in North Kesteven, showing how the council decides real applications.
Single storey rear extension 5.6m in total length from the original wall, eaves · Ruskington · Tue 11 Aug 2026
Single storey rear extension 4.95m in total length from the original wall, eaves · Metheringham Rural · Tue 11 Aug 2026
Erection of two storey and single storey rear extensions and detached double gar · Hykeham Fosse · Tue 11 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In North Kesteven, 1 in 40 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 North Kesteven
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for North Kesteven →
✓ Common refusal reasons in North Kesteven
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 719 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in North Kesteven
What is the planning approval rate in North Kesteven?
Based on 719 planning decisions analysed since 2020, North Kesteven approved 97.5% of applications and refused 2.5%. The council is ranked 283rd out of 300 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in North Kesteven?
North Kesteven refuses 2.5% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 40. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 719 decided applications since 2020, 18 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of North Kesteven have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in North Kesteven are in Navenby And Brant Broughton (96.7%), Skellingthorpe And Eagle (96.2%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in North Kesteven?
The most common planning application types in North Kesteven are: Full (313 decisions, 96.8% approved), Other (140, 95.0%), and Discharge of Conditions (109, 100.0%).
How long does a planning application take in North Kesteven?
Planning applications in North Kesteven take an average of 11.2 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 716 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. North Kesteven decides approximately 120 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in North Kesteven?
You can search planning applications in North Kesteven directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 719 historical decisions in North Kesteven to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for North Kesteven calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes North Kesteven'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.