Torfaen Council approves 92.4% of planning applications, based on 4,885 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 4,885 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 | 2,785 | 217 | 3,002 | 92.8% |
| Other | 577 | 62 | 639 | 90.3% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 504 | 12 | 516 | 97.7% |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | 279 | 46 | 325 | 85.8% |
| Trees | 231 | 11 | 242 | 95.5% |
| Advertisement | 91 | 3 | 94 | 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 | 345 | 17 | 362 | 95.3% |
| New Inn | 225 | 24 | 249 | 90.4% |
| Blaenavon | 230 | 12 | 242 | 95.0% |
| Panteg | 206 | 14 | 220 | 93.6% |
| Pontypool Fawr | 184 | 11 | 195 | 94.4% |
| Abersychan | 165 | 19 | 184 | 89.7% |
| Pontnewydd | 166 | 16 | 182 | 91.2% |
| Two Locks | 135 | 15 | 150 | 90.0% |
| Llanyrafon East And Ponthir | 139 | 10 | 149 | 93.3% |
| St Dials | 103 | 9 | 112 | 92.0% |
| 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/0320/CEA Croesyceiliog | Proposed single-storey rear kitchen extension to the existing dwelling. External | Approved |
| 26/P/0175/HH Pontnewydd | Erection of a single-storey front porch, replacement of a single-storey side ext | Approved |
| 26/P/0239/FUL Pontnewydd | Proposed change of use to first floor unit from commercial A1 to C3 1 bedroom dw | Approved |
| 25/P/0296/FUL Llantarnam | Demolition of existing building and proposed development of 29 dwellings, access | Approved |
| 26/P/0269/FUL Llantarnam | Erection of new spectator seating | Approved |
| 26/P/0277/HH New Inn | Rear extension (part single part double). Take existing side lean to extension b | Approved |
| 26/P/0245/HH Upper Cwmbran | New proposed pitched roof to replace existing flat roof and formulate two new be | Refused |
| 26/P/0234/FUL Two Locks | Private one to one personal training studio in residential garage | Approved |
| 26/P/0180/HH Pontnewydd | Retrospective full planning application for the retention of a loft conversion i | Refused |
| 24/P/0218/HH Abersychan | Proposed single garage to rear of property | 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 4,885 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 4,885 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 4,885 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 4,885 planning decisions from Torfaen council. 4,516 were approved and 369 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.