Trafford planning approval rate

Trafford council approved 88.2% of planning applications and refused 11.8%, based on 13,295 decisions analysed. Ranked 77th out of 221 councils for strictness.

Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present

88.2%

overall approval rate

13,295

Decisions analysed

11,725

Approved

1,570

Refused

Wards covered

Planning in Trafford? 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 Trafford. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.

Full (9,176 decided)

88.9%

Certificate of Lawfulness (1,246 decided)

86.1%

Trees (961 decided)

99.3%

Other (808 decided)

83.8%

Discharge of Conditions (404 decided)

78.5%

Advertisement (365 decided)

72.3%

Prior Approval (130 decided)

75.4%

Listed Building (128 decided)

89.1%

Change of Use (77 decided)

87.0%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Trafford — mined from 13,295 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (5,917 decided)

90.5%

Side Extension (4,120 decided)

91.0%

Garage / Parking (2,229 decided)

86.4%

Wraparound Extension (1,416 decided)

93.8%

New Build (1,270 decided)

83.9%

Dormer (1,135 decided)

82.0%

Front Extension (947 decided)

90.4%

Conservatory (581 decided)

92.6%

Change of Use (Residential) (533 decided)

86.3%

Outbuilding (483 decided)

89.6%

Loft Conversion (472 decided)

88.1%

Extension (General) (447 decided)

84.6%

Basement (306 decided)

86.6%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (231 decided)

81.8%

Annex (81 decided)

93.8%

HMO (47 decided)

85.1%

Flat Conversion (35 decided)

71.4%

Approval rate by ward

Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Trafford. Click any ward for detailed statistics.

Bowdon (1,077 decided)

88.5%

Altrincham (963 decided)

83.7%

Broadheath (768 decided)

90.1%

Hale Barns (713 decided)

90.3%

Hale Central (642 decided)

91.1%

Brooklands (640 decided)

93.9%

Longford (572 decided)

84.4%

Sale Moor (504 decided)

87.5%

Urmston (497 decided)

85.3%

Hale Barns & Timperley South (489 decided)

83.0%

Flixton (479 decided)

92.3%

Timperley (454 decided)

93.0%

Hale (419 decided)

84.2%

Priory (366 decided)

91.0%

Bucklow St Martins (345 decided)

91.9%

Ashton On Mersey (335 decided)

92.8%

St Marys (304 decided)

93.1%

Gorse Hill (297 decided)

90.9%

Davyhulme East (290 decided)

94.5%

Davyhulme West (271 decided)

90.4%

Wards in Trafford

Bowdon

88.5% approval · 1,077 decisions

Altrincham

83.7% approval · 963 decisions

Broadheath

90.1% approval · 768 decisions

Hale Barns

90.3% approval · 713 decisions

Hale Central

91.1% approval · 642 decisions

Brooklands

93.9% approval · 640 decisions

Longford

84.4% approval · 572 decisions

Sale Moor

87.5% approval · 504 decisions

Urmston

85.3% approval · 497 decisions

Hale Barns & Timperley South

83.0% approval · 489 decisions

Flixton

92.3% approval · 479 decisions

Timperley

93.0% approval · 454 decisions

Hale

84.2% approval · 419 decisions

Priory

91.0% approval · 366 decisions

Bucklow St Martins

91.9% approval · 345 decisions

Ashton On Mersey

92.8% approval · 335 decisions

St Marys

93.1% approval · 304 decisions

Gorse Hill

90.9% approval · 297 decisions

Davyhulme East

94.5% approval · 290 decisions

Davyhulme West

90.4% approval · 271 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

The most recent residential planning decisions in Trafford, showing how the council decides real applications.

117452/LBC/25

Listed Building Consent for reinstatement works to single storey south-west wing · Altrincham · Wed 24 Dec 2025

Approved

117036/HHA/25

Reinstatement works to single storey south-west wing of property following fire · Altrincham · Wed 24 Dec 2025

Approved

117808/PIP/25

Application for Permission in Principle for residential development of up to 8no · Gorse Hill & Cornbrook · Tue 23 Dec 2025

Refused

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →

What gets approved near your property?

In Trafford, 1 in 8 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 Trafford
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get Trafford Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 13,295 decisions.

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