Somerset Council approves 98.7% of planning applications, based on 553 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. Somerset sits 10.8 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 Somerset.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 546 | 7 | 553 | 98.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendip District | 213 | 6 | 219 | 97.3% |
| South Somerset District | 137 | 1 | 138 | 99.3% |
| South Somerset District Council - Area South | 132 | 0 | 132 | 100.0% |
| South Somerset District Council - Area East | 30 | 0 | 30 | 100.0% |
Real residential planning decisions from Somerset council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| SCC/4030/2022 South Somerset District | Extension of the existing Wessex Water Hardington Mandeville Water Recycling Cen | Approved |
| SCC/3998/2022 South Somerset District | Change of use of land to operation Water Recycling Centre and erection of 3 no. | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond14 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond21 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond16 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond17 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond18 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond20 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond13 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | Approved |
| SCC/3777/2020/Cond11 South Somerset District | Planning Application for the extension of Blackford Hill Quarry. Details to s | 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 Somerset's 553 real decisions. Delivered by email in minutes.
Get My Pro Report — £79Compare Somerset's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Somerset's planning statistics — by ward, extension type, or project category:
Data-driven guides to help you understand planning approval patterns:
Based on 553 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Somerset is 98.7%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 87.9%. However, rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 553 planning decisions from Somerset council. 546 were approved and 7 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Somerset is 98.7%, 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.