South Norfolk planning approval rate
South Norfolk council approved 95.1% of planning applications and refused 4.9%, based on 7,292 decisions analysed. Ranked 244th out of 292 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
95.1%
overall approval rate
7,292
Decisions analysed
6,933
Approved
359
Refused
53
Wards covered
Planning in South 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 South Norfolk. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
95.4%
93.5%
98.5%
98.9%
89.0%
91.7%
95.5%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in South Norfolk, mined from 7,292 proposal descriptions.
93.5%
98.0%
97.9%
98.3%
96.1%
84.0%
94.8%
97.2%
100.0%
97.6%
95.8%
97.5%
80.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within South Norfolk. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Beck Vale, Dickleburgh And Scole
97.2%
Mulbarton And Stoke Holy Cross
96.4%
Diss And Roydon
95.6%
Poringland, Framinghams And Trowse
96.3%
Loddon And Chedgrave
95.8%
Ditchingham And Earsham
95.8%
Brooke
94.5%
Bressingham And Burston
96.4%
Hethersett
95.2%
Cringleford
95.2%
Central Wymondham
95.7%
Hempnall
95.6%
Bunwell
96.1%
Rockland
95.6%
Harleston
95.9%
Wicklewood
95.8%
Great Witchingham
92.3%
Forncett
95.0%
Aylsham
97.2%
Hingham And Deopham
94.2%
Wards in South Norfolk
Beck Vale, Dickleburgh And Scole
97.2% approval · 386 decisions
Mulbarton And Stoke Holy Cross
96.4% approval · 384 decisions
Diss And Roydon
95.6% approval · 361 decisions
Poringland, Framinghams And Trowse
96.3% approval · 300 decisions
Loddon And Chedgrave
95.8% approval · 287 decisions
Ditchingham And Earsham
95.8% approval · 283 decisions
Brooke
94.5% approval · 273 decisions
Bressingham And Burston
96.4% approval · 253 decisions
Hethersett
95.2% approval · 252 decisions
Cringleford
95.2% approval · 231 decisions
Central Wymondham
95.7% approval · 230 decisions
Hempnall
95.6% approval · 229 decisions
Bunwell
96.1% approval · 204 decisions
Rockland
95.6% approval · 203 decisions
Harleston
95.9% approval · 197 decisions
Wicklewood
95.8% approval · 191 decisions
Great Witchingham
92.3% approval · 182 decisions
Forncett
95.0% approval · 179 decisions
Aylsham
97.2% approval · 176 decisions
Hingham And Deopham
94.2% approval · 173 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in South Norfolk, showing how the council decides real applications.
Erection of Single-storey extension to front and side of dwelling, replacing exi · Mulbarton And Stoke Holy Cross · Fri 21 Aug 2026
Installation of low chestnut post-and-rail fence along both sides of existing dr · Loddon And Chedgrave · Fri 21 Aug 2026
Installation of low chestnut post-and-rail fence along both sides of existing dr · Loddon And Chedgrave · Fri 21 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In South Norfolk, 1 in 20 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 South Norfolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for South Norfolk →
✓ Common refusal reasons in South Norfolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 7,292 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in South Norfolk
What is the planning approval rate in South Norfolk?
Based on 7,292 planning decisions analysed since 2020, South Norfolk approved 95.1% of applications and refused 4.9%. The council is ranked 244th out of 292 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in South Norfolk?
South Norfolk refuses 4.9% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 20. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 7,292 decided applications since 2020, 359 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of South Norfolk have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in South Norfolk are in Easton (100.0%), Stratton (98.9%), and New Costessey (98.1%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in South Norfolk?
The most common planning application types in South Norfolk are: Full (3,409 decisions, 95.4% approved), Trees (1,380, 93.5%), and Discharge of Conditions (975, 98.5%).
How long does a planning application take in South Norfolk?
Planning applications in South Norfolk take an average of 10.9 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 7,183 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. South Norfolk decides approximately 1,215 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in South Norfolk?
You can search planning applications in South Norfolk directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 7,292 historical decisions in South Norfolk to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for South Norfolk calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes South 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.