North Norfolk planning approval rate
North Norfolk council approved 94.7% of planning applications and refused 5.3%, based on 2,219 decisions analysed. Ranked 228th out of 284 councils for strictness.
Last updated: June 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
94.7%
overall approval rate
2,219
Decisions analysed
2,101
Approved
118
Refused
32
Wards covered
Planning in North Norfolk? 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 Norfolk. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
93.6%
96.0%
90.8%
99.2%
94.2%
93.1%
96.3%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in North Norfolk, mined from 2,219 proposal descriptions.
95.8%
97.2%
96.5%
97.7%
93.2%
95.5%
94.9%
94.5%
94.3%
88.9%
89.5%
100.0%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within North Norfolk. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Coastal
93.5%
Holt
93.6%
Erpingham
95.8%
Priory
98.4%
Stody
95.2%
Wells With Holkham
95.3%
Beeston Regis & The Runtons
96.8%
Poppyland
96.7%
Walsingham
98.8%
Roughton
90.3%
Cromer Town
97.2%
Hoveton & Tunstead
94.2%
Lancaster South
95.6%
Gresham
95.6%
Happisburgh
90.9%
Sheringham North
91.2%
The Raynhams
98.2%
Sheringham South
96.2%
Stalham
96.0%
Bacton
95.8%
Wards in North Norfolk
Coastal
93.5% approval · 184 decisions
Holt
93.6% approval · 171 decisions
Erpingham
95.8% approval · 143 decisions
Priory
98.4% approval · 126 decisions
Stody
95.2% approval · 124 decisions
Wells With Holkham
95.3% approval · 107 decisions
Beeston Regis & The Runtons
96.8% approval · 93 decisions
Poppyland
96.7% approval · 90 decisions
Walsingham
98.8% approval · 82 decisions
Roughton
90.3% approval · 72 decisions
Cromer Town
97.2% approval · 71 decisions
Hoveton & Tunstead
94.2% approval · 69 decisions
Lancaster South
95.6% approval · 68 decisions
Gresham
95.6% approval · 68 decisions
Happisburgh
90.9% approval · 66 decisions
Sheringham North
91.2% approval · 57 decisions
The Raynhams
98.2% approval · 56 decisions
Sheringham South
96.2% approval · 53 decisions
Stalham
96.0% approval · 50 decisions
Bacton
95.8% approval · 48 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in North Norfolk, showing how the council decides real applications.
Installation of front balcony (retrospective) · Happisburgh · Mon 22 Jun 2026
Extension and alterations to dwelling including replacement roof to allow for fi · Beeston Regis & The Runtons · Mon 22 Jun 2026
T1 Oak tree in rear garden to crown raise to 4mT2 x T3 Silver Birch to remove an · Erpingham · Fri 19 Jun 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In North Norfolk, 1 in 19 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 Norfolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for North Norfolk →
✓ Common refusal reasons in North Norfolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 2,219 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in North Norfolk
What is the planning approval rate in North Norfolk?
Based on 2,219 planning decisions analysed since 2020, North Norfolk approved 94.7% of applications and refused 5.3%. The council is ranked 228th out of 284 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in North Norfolk?
North Norfolk refuses 5.3% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 19. That is lower than the UK average of 11.7%. Out of 2,219 decided applications since 2020, 118 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of North Norfolk have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in North Norfolk are in Walsingham (98.8%), Priory (98.4%), and The Raynhams (98.2%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in North Norfolk?
The most common planning application types in North Norfolk are: Full (942 decisions, 93.6% approved), Trees (679, 96.0%), and Other (163, 90.8%).
How long does a planning application take in North Norfolk?
Planning applications in North Norfolk take an average of 10.7 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 207 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 Norfolk decides approximately 370 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in North Norfolk?
You can search planning applications in North Norfolk directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 2,219 historical decisions in North Norfolk to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for North Norfolk calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes North Norfolk'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.