Torfaen Council approves 92.4% of planning applications, based on 4,898 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Torfaen sits 3.8 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 397 decided applications, Torfaen Council approved 94.7% of planning applications in 2025. Across 4,898 decisions analysed since January 2020, the overall approval rate in Torfaen is 92.4%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Torfaen council planning portal records · Updated August 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 Torfaen.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full | 2,790 | 218 | 3,008 | 92.8% |
| Other | 580 | 62 | 642 | 90.3% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 507 | 12 | 519 | 97.7% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 279 | 46 | 325 | 85.8% |
| Trees | 231 | 11 | 242 | 95.5% |
| Advertisement | 92 | 3 | 95 | 96.8% |
| Prior Approval | 25 | 15 | 40 | 62.5% |
| Listed Building | 24 | 3 | 27 | 88.9% |
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not Applicable | 1,937 | 174 | 2,111 | 91.8% |
| Llantarnam | 349 | 17 | 366 | 95.4% |
| New Inn | 226 | 24 | 250 | 90.4% |
| Blaenavon | 236 | 12 | 248 | 95.2% |
| Panteg | 206 | 14 | 220 | 93.6% |
| Pontypool Fawr | 184 | 11 | 195 | 94.4% |
| Abersychan | 165 | 19 | 184 | 89.7% |
| Pontnewydd | 167 | 16 | 183 | 91.3% |
| Two Locks | 135 | 15 | 150 | 90.0% |
| Llanyrafon East And Ponthir | 139 | 10 | 149 | 93.3% |
| St Dials | 103 | 10 | 113 | 91.2% |
| Fairwater | 85 | 8 | 93 | 91.4% |
| Croesyceiliog | 82 | 6 | 88 | 93.2% |
| Llanyrafon West | 82 | 4 | 86 | 95.3% |
| Upper Cwmbran | 76 | 5 | 81 | 93.8% |
| Croesyceiliog South | 59 | 0 | 59 | 100.0% |
| Coed Eva | 49 | 7 | 56 | 87.5% |
| Greenmeadow | 49 | 2 | 51 | 96.1% |
| Trevethin And Penygarn | 44 | 4 | 48 | 91.7% |
| Pontnewynydd And Snatchwood | 34 | 4 | 38 | 89.5% |
| Wainfelin | 29 | 3 | 32 | 90.6% |
| Trevethin | 29 | 0 | 29 | 100.0% |
| Brynwern | 18 | 1 | 19 | 94.7% |
| Cymynyscoy | 15 | 3 | 18 | 83.3% |
| Snatchwood | 16 | 1 | 17 | 94.1% |
How Torfaen’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 4.7pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Torfaen council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/P/0366/NMA Blaenavon | Non material amendment (Replace windows to flush casement type in Agate Grey (UP | Approved |
| 26/P/0348/NMA New Inn | Non material amendment (relocating rear window to side elevation and widening of | Approved |
| 26/P/0304/HH St Dials | Two storey side and rear extension | Refused |
| 26/P/0298/FUL Llantarnam | Change of use from vacant shop (Class A1) to betting office (sui generis) | Approved |
| 26/P/0299/FUL Llantarnam | Installation of 2 no air conditioning units and 2 no satellite dishes to rear el | Approved |
| 26/P/0266/VAR Blaenavon | Variation to Listed Building Consent 25/P/0641/LBC for alterations to the intern | Approved |
| 26/P/0255/HH Blaenavon | Demolition of existing rear conservatory and side extension with proposed new si | Approved |
| 26/P/0247/HH Blaenavon | First Floor Extension over Garage | Approved |
| 26/P/0281/FUL Llantarnam | Change of use from Bank (A2 Financial and Professional Services) to Adult Gaming | Approved |
| 25/P/0634/OUT Pontnewydd | Erection of 2 no. semi-detached dwellings | 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 Torfaen's 4,898 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Torfaen's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Torfaen'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 Torfaen. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 4,898 real decisions from Torfaen 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 Torfaen'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 4,898 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Torfaen is 92.4%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 88.6%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 4,898 planning decisions from Torfaen council. 4,528 were approved and 370 were refused. These figures cover decisions from January 2020 to the present.
The average approval rate in Torfaen is 92.4%, 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 Torfaen? 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.