Sandwell planning approval rate

Sandwell council approved 92.9% of planning applications and refused 7.1%, based on 6,354 decisions analysed. Ranked 145th out of 221 councils for strictness.

Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present

92.9%

overall approval rate

6,354

Decisions analysed

5,904

Approved

450

Refused

Wards covered

Planning in Sandwell? 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 Sandwell. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.

Full (2,944 decided)

92.8%

Other (1,356 decided)

93.8%

Prior Approval (1,034 decided)

90.8%

Advertisement (499 decided)

98.8%

Change of Use (298 decided)

85.9%

Certificate of Lawfulness (175 decided)

97.1%

Listed Building (32 decided)

100.0%

Trees (12 decided)

75.0%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Sandwell — mined from 6,354 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (2,809 decided)

93.0%

Side Extension (895 decided)

93.5%

Garage / Parking (361 decided)

90.3%

Change of Use (Residential) (311 decided)

89.1%

Conservatory (308 decided)

95.5%

Extension (General) (249 decided)

91.2%

Front Extension (186 decided)

93.0%

Dormer (153 decided)

82.4%

Wraparound Extension (151 decided)

94.7%

Loft Conversion (112 decided)

90.2%

Outbuilding (77 decided)

89.6%

New Build (52 decided)

88.5%

HMO (19 decided)

100.0%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (11 decided)

100.0%

Flat Conversion (11 decided)

100.0%

Approval rate by ward

Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Sandwell. Click any ward for detailed statistics.

West Bromwich Central (430 decided)

94.0%

Oldbury (407 decided)

94.3%

St Pauls (383 decided)

94.3%

Greets Green & Lyng (328 decided)

90.2%

Wednesbury South (317 decided)

95.0%

Old Warley (303 decided)

92.4%

Bristnall (299 decided)

93.6%

Charlemont With Grove Vale (286 decided)

88.8%

Newton (286 decided)

90.6%

Great Barr With Yew Tree (263 decided)

94.3%

Soho & Victoria (258 decided)

92.6%

Cradley Heath & Old Hill (256 decided)

92.6%

Smethwick (250 decided)

94.8%

Tipton Green (250 decided)

94.8%

Wednesbury North (249 decided)

93.2%

Abbey (248 decided)

91.1%

Great Bridge (241 decided)

93.4%

Hateley Heath (235 decided)

93.6%

Langley (217 decided)

91.7%

Blackheath (204 decided)

90.7%

Wards in Sandwell

West Bromwich Central

94.0% approval · 430 decisions

Oldbury

94.3% approval · 407 decisions

St Pauls

94.3% approval · 383 decisions

Greets Green & Lyng

90.2% approval · 328 decisions

Wednesbury South

95.0% approval · 317 decisions

Old Warley

92.4% approval · 303 decisions

Bristnall

93.6% approval · 299 decisions

Charlemont With Grove Vale

88.8% approval · 286 decisions

Newton

90.6% approval · 286 decisions

Great Barr With Yew Tree

94.3% approval · 263 decisions

Soho & Victoria

92.6% approval · 258 decisions

Cradley Heath & Old Hill

92.6% approval · 256 decisions

Smethwick

94.8% approval · 250 decisions

Tipton Green

94.8% approval · 250 decisions

Wednesbury North

93.2% approval · 249 decisions

Abbey

91.1% approval · 248 decisions

Great Bridge

93.4% approval · 241 decisions

Hateley Heath

93.6% approval · 235 decisions

Langley

91.7% approval · 217 decisions

Blackheath

90.7% approval · 204 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

The most recent residential planning decisions in Sandwell, showing how the council decides real applications.

PD/26/03168

Proposed demolition of properties. · Tipton Green · Fri 13 Mar 2026

Approved

DC/26/71455

Proposed single storey rear extension. · Abbey · Fri 13 Mar 2026

Approved

PD/26/03155

Proposed single storey rear extension measuring: 5.5m L x 2.9m H (2.9m to eaves) · Wednesbury South · Fri 13 Mar 2026

Approved

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →

What gets approved near your property?

In Sandwell, 1 in 14 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Pro Report gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:

✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in Sandwell
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get Sandwell Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 6,354 decisions.

Compare with nearby councils

Birmingham Solihull

Check planning approval patterns — Free