Swansea planning approval rate
Swansea council approved 86.1% of planning applications and refused 13.9%, based on 2,873 decisions analysed. Ranked 47th out of 221 councils for strictness.
Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
86.1%
overall approval rate
Planning in Swansea?
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 Swansea. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Swansea — mined from 2,873 proposal descriptions.
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Swansea. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Castle - Bay Area (223 decided)
92.4%
Sketty - Bay Area (203 decided)
85.7%
Gower - Area 2 (201 decided)
86.6%
Llansamlet - Area 1 (147 decided)
90.5%
Morriston - Area 1 (126 decided)
88.9%
Oystermouth - Bay Area (115 decided)
74.8%
Cockett - Area 1 (109 decided)
84.4%
Uplands - Bay Area (105 decided)
76.2%
West Cross - Bay Area (95 decided)
82.1%
Pennard - Area 2 (83 decided)
90.4%
Mynyddbach - Area 1 (76 decided)
82.9%
St. Thomas - Bay Area (74 decided)
85.1%
Clydach - Area 1 (73 decided)
87.7%
Pontarddulais - Area 1 (71 decided)
84.5%
Newton - Area 2 (69 decided)
94.2%
Penderry - Area 1 (66 decided)
95.5%
Penyrheol - Area 2 (64 decided)
81.2%
Penclawdd - Area 2 (62 decided)
74.2%
Llangyfelach - Area 1 (62 decided)
90.3%
Bishopston - Area 2 (61 decided)
78.7%
Wards in Swansea
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Swansea, showing how the council decides real applications.
Demolition of the existing kitchen/dining hall block and construction of a new d · Townhill - Area 1 · Tue 03 Mar 2026
Canopy to the rear of the Clych building enclosed with rear and side roller shut · Clydach - Area 1 · Tue 03 Mar 2026
Erection of 166 dwellings with associated access, landscaping, open space, green · Penllergaer - Area 1 · Fri 27 Feb 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Swansea, 1 in 7 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Pro Report gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in Swansea
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Get Swansea Pro Report — £79
Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 2,873 decisions.
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