Shetland Council approves 98.4% of planning applications, based on 6,267 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. Shetland sits 10.5 percentage points above the national average.
Enter your postcode for a personalised approval likelihood score — based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Shetland.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 6,168 | 99 | 6,267 | 98.4% |
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lerwick | 317 | 3 | 320 | 99.1% |
| Tingwall, Whiteness & Weisdale | 121 | 3 | 124 | 97.6% |
| Dunrossness | 118 | 4 | 122 | 96.7% |
| Delting | 110 | 0 | 110 | 100.0% |
| Gulberwick, Quarff & Cunningsburgh | 89 | 4 | 93 | 95.7% |
| Sandness & Walls | 64 | 2 | 66 | 97.0% |
| Sandwick | 56 | 1 | 57 | 98.2% |
| Aithsting & Sandsting | 56 | 0 | 56 | 100.0% |
| Burra & Trondra | 51 | 0 | 51 | 100.0% |
| Scalloway | 49 | 0 | 49 | 100.0% |
| Whalsay | 48 | 0 | 48 | 100.0% |
| Nesting & Lunnasting | 37 | 2 | 39 | 94.9% |
| Unst | 38 | 1 | 39 | 97.4% |
| Northmavine | 37 | 0 | 37 | 100.0% |
| Yell | 37 | 0 | 37 | 100.0% |
| Bressay | 15 | 1 | 16 | 93.8% |
Real residential planning decisions from Shetland council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 2026/027/PPF Unst | Demolition of existing dwellinghouse and construction of new single storey 2 bed | Approved |
| 2026/021/PPF Aithsting & Sandsting | Proposed Extensions to form new dining room & bedroom extension with ensuite. | Approved |
| 2026/008/PN Lerwick | Replacement of 4 windows with uPVC windows | Approved |
| 2026/006/PN Gulberwick, Quarff & Cunningsburgh | New general purpose agricultural shed - 30m x 12m | Approved |
| 2026/003/PPF Tingwall, Whiteness & Weisdale | Demolition of existing dwellinghouse and erection of single storey dwellinghouse | Approved |
| 2025/318/PPF Lerwick | Erection of office outbuilding | Approved |
| 2025/314/PPF Lerwick | Proposed external alterations and PV installation. | Approved |
| 2025/312/PPF Gulberwick, Quarff & Cunningsburgh | Demolish Existing 4 Bedroom House and garage. Construct new storey and half, 4-B | Approved |
| 2025/311/PPF Not Available | Installation of replacement sludge holding tank. | Approved |
| 2025/306/PPF Lerwick | Demolition of existing entrance porch; erection of new garage and vestibule; ere | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your Pro Report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on Shetland's 6,267 real decisions. Delivered by email in minutes.
Get My Pro Report — £79Compare Shetland's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Shetland's planning statistics — by ward, extension type, or project category:
Data-driven guides to help you understand planning approval patterns:
Based on 6,267 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Shetland is 98.4%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. However, rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 6,267 planning decisions from Shetland council. 6,168 were approved and 99 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Shetland is 98.4%, but outcomes depend heavily on your specific ward, the type of extension or development you are proposing, and local planning policy. Use the PlanningLens free postcode check to get a personalised score.