Sutton Council approves 83.3% of planning applications, based on 17,007 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Sutton sits 1.7 percentage points below the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 1,582 decided applications, Sutton Council approved 87.4% of planning applications in 2025. Across 17,007 decisions on record (August 1983 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in Sutton is 83.3%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Sutton council planning portal records · Data to 28 September 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
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Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in Sutton.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 9,007 | 1,421 | 10,428 | 86.4% |
| Full | 5,373 | 1,086 | 6,459 | 83.2% |
| Prior Approval | 1,249 | 460 | 1,709 | 73.1% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 81 | 2 | 83 | 97.6% |
| Trees | 29 | 0 | 29 | 100.0% |
| Advertisement | 9 | 0 | 9 | 100.0% |
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, your free property report is emailed in minutes.
Check My PostcodeHow Sutton’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 0.3pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Sutton council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| None The Wrythe | Conversion of loft space involving alterations to existing roofline, a dormer ex | Approved |
| None Sutton North | Erection of a single storey side and rear extension with steps up to rear and al | Approved |
| None Worcester Park North | Change of use from Class C3 (Dwellinghouse) to Class C4 (Small HMO) to provide 5 | Approved |
| None Cheam | Erection of an outbuilding. | Approved |
| None Adjoining Borough | (26/00642/FUL) Demolition of existing dwelling, erection of three-storey buildin | Approved |
| None Adjoining Borough | (26/02547/HSE) Demolition of existing rear conservatory and front porch. Erectio | Approved |
| None Wallington North | Change of use from of Class E (Office) to Class Sui Generis (Larger HMO) to prov | Approved |
| None Carshalton Central | Prior Approval for a single storey rear extension projecting from the rear of th | Approved |
| None Worcester Park North | Demolition of single storey rear extension, erection of two bay windows to front | Approved |
| None Carshalton Central | Erection of a single storey rear extension, a single storey front extension, rep | Approved |
Find out what actually gets approved near your address first. Your free property report analyses the 20 nearest decisions to your property, ward-specific refusal patterns, and extension-by-extension approval patterns. Based on Sutton's 17,007 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Sutton's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Sutton's planning statistics, by ward, extension type, or project category:
Data-driven guides to help you understand planning approval patterns:
Yes. PlanningLens offers a free planning permission check for Sutton. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 17,007 real decisions from Sutton council. The full property-specific report is also free and emailed within minutes.
Enter your postcode on PlanningLens for a free instant check based on Sutton's real planning decisions. The free property report goes further: it analyses the 20 nearest comparable decisions to your property, ward-level refusal patterns, and approval rates by application type. Free and emailed within minutes.
Based on 17,007 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Sutton is 83.3%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 17,007 planning decisions from Sutton council. 14,165 were approved and 2,842 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, August 1983 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in Sutton is 83.3%, but outcomes depend heavily on your specific ward, the type of extension or development you are proposing, and local planning policy. Use the free PlanningLens postcode check to get a personalised score.
Writing about planning in Sutton? These figures are free to republish with attribution. Copy the one-line citation, or paste the stat box into any website, CMS or newsletter, it carries its own styling and links back to this page for verification.