West Lothian Council approves – of planning applications, based on 10,771 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. West Lothian is closely in line with the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 10,771 decided applications on record (June 2025 to September 2026), West Lothian Council approved – of planning applications. The national average approval rate across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of West Lothian council planning portal records · Data to 29 September 2026 · Quote freely with attribution
Enter your postcode for a free, personalised approval pattern report, based on your ward and application type.
Not all applications are treated equally. Extension types, listed building consent, and change of use applications each have very different success rates in West Lothian.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | – | – | 13,482 | – |
| Full | – | – | 140 | – |
| Certificate of Lawfulness | – | – | 90 | – |
| Advertisement | – | – | 38 | – |
| Listed Building | – | – | 22 | – |
| Discharge of Conditions | – | – | 13 | – |
| Trees | – | – | 8 | – |
| Prior Approval | – | – | 6 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linlithgow | – | – | 2,814 | – |
| Broxburn, Uphall & Winchburgh | – | – | 1,718 | – |
| East Livingston & East Calder | – | – | 1,710 | – |
| Livingston South | – | – | 1,494 | – |
| Bathgate | – | – | 1,338 | – |
| Fauldhouse & The Breich Valley | – | – | 1,311 | – |
| Armadale & Blackridge | – | – | 1,239 | – |
| Whitburn & Blackburn | – | – | 1,232 | – |
| Livingston North | – | – | 925 | – |
| Blank Field | – | – | 12 | – |
How West Lothian’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, unchanged since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from West Lothian council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 0687/H/26 Livingston North | Installation of a rear dormer and rooflights | Approved |
| 0623/LBC/26 Linlithgow | Listed building consent for external alterations including removal of a chimney | Approved |
| 0619/FUL/26 Linlithgow | External alterations and extension to roof structure to form a dormer to the rea | Approved |
| 0674/H/26 Broxburn, Uphall & Winchburgh | Extension to house | Approved |
| 0670/H/26 Bathgate | Extension to house | Approved |
| 0597/H/26 Livingston South | Alterations and extension to house | Approved |
| 0171/LBC/26 Linlithgow | Listed building consent for replacement pillar | Approved |
| 0601/H/26 Fauldhouse & The Breich Valley | Erection of a garage | Approved |
| 0628/H/26 Linlithgow | Installation of dormers to front and rear of the house and erection of a new gar | Approved |
| 0666/H/26 Armadale & Blackridge | Installation of replacement doors with like-for-like timber doors with double-gl | 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 West Lothian's 10,771 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare West Lothian's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into West Lothian'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 West Lothian. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 10,771 real decisions from West Lothian 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 West Lothian'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 10,771 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in West Lothian is –. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 10,771 planning decisions from West Lothian council. – were approved and – were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, June 2025 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in West Lothian is –, 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 West Lothian? 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.