Stockton-on-Tees planning approval rate
Stockton-on-Tees council approved 95.1% of planning applications and refused 4.9%, based on 2,614 decisions analysed. Ranked 251st out of 300 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
95.1%
overall approval rate
2,614
Decisions analysed
2,487
Approved
127
Refused
30
Wards covered
Planning in Stockton-on-Tees? 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 Stockton-on-Tees. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
95.7%
96.1%
96.7%
96.4%
80.6%
92.4%
84.6%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Stockton-on-Tees, mined from 2,614 proposal descriptions.
96.7%
98.7%
95.1%
88.6%
98.1%
99.0%
93.8%
95.3%
100.0%
87.5%
91.3%
100.0%
36.4%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Stockton-on-Tees. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Yarm
96.2%
Northern Parishes
96.0%
Eaglescliffe East
92.1%
Eaglescliffe West
93.9%
Billingham South
99.3%
Stockton Town Centre
94.6%
Hartburn
96.8%
Southern Villages
96.6%
Fairfield
97.3%
Mandale & Victoria
97.2%
Billingham West & Wolviston
92.8%
Norton North
95.7%
Ingleby Barwick North
95.1%
Ingleby Barwick South
96.1%
Norton Central
94.5%
Roseworth
98.6%
Village
98.6%
Hardwick & Salters Lane
97.2%
Ropner
90.0%
Norton South
97.1%
Wards in Stockton-on-Tees
Yarm
96.2% approval · 236 decisions
Northern Parishes
96.0% approval · 202 decisions
Eaglescliffe East
92.1% approval · 177 decisions
Eaglescliffe West
93.9% approval · 164 decisions
Billingham South
99.3% approval · 144 decisions
Stockton Town Centre
94.6% approval · 129 decisions
Hartburn
96.8% approval · 124 decisions
Southern Villages
96.6% approval · 116 decisions
Fairfield
97.3% approval · 110 decisions
Mandale & Victoria
97.2% approval · 109 decisions
Billingham West & Wolviston
92.8% approval · 97 decisions
Norton North
95.7% approval · 93 decisions
Ingleby Barwick North
95.1% approval · 81 decisions
Ingleby Barwick South
96.1% approval · 76 decisions
Norton Central
94.5% approval · 73 decisions
Roseworth
98.6% approval · 72 decisions
Village
98.6% approval · 72 decisions
Hardwick & Salters Lane
97.2% approval · 71 decisions
Ropner
90.0% approval · 70 decisions
Norton South
97.1% approval · 69 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Stockton-on-Tees, showing how the council decides real applications.
Erection of single storey side/rear extension, including raising roof height of · Fairfield · Fri 14 Aug 2026
Installation of a new shop front, including repair and repainting of external re · Stockton Town Centre · Thu 13 Aug 2026
Erection of part two storey, part single storey extension to side (roof lights t · Eaglescliffe East · Thu 13 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Stockton-on-Tees, 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 Stockton-on-Tees
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for Stockton-on-Tees →
✓ Common refusal reasons in Stockton-on-Tees
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 2,614 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Stockton-on-Tees
What is the planning approval rate in Stockton-on-Tees?
Based on 2,614 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Stockton-on-Tees approved 95.1% of applications and refused 4.9%. The council is ranked 251st out of 300 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in Stockton-on-Tees?
Stockton-on-Tees refuses 4.9% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 20. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 2,614 decided applications since 2020, 127 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of Stockton-on-Tees have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in Stockton-on-Tees are in Billingham Central (100.0%), Billingham South (99.3%), and Roseworth (98.6%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in Stockton-on-Tees?
The most common planning application types in Stockton-on-Tees are: Full (1,086 decisions, 95.7% approved), Other (1,012, 96.1%), and Discharge of Conditions (121, 96.7%).
How long does a planning application take in Stockton-on-Tees?
Planning applications in Stockton-on-Tees take an average of 10.9 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 2,576 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. Stockton-on-Tees decides approximately 436 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in Stockton-on-Tees?
You can search planning applications in Stockton-on-Tees directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 2,614 historical decisions in Stockton-on-Tees to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for Stockton-on-Tees calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes Stockton-on-Tees' 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.