West Suffolk planning approval rate
West Suffolk council approved 93.6% of planning applications and refused 6.4%, based on 40,184 decisions analysed. Ranked 212th out of 300 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
93.6%
overall approval rate
40,184
Decisions analysed
37,632
Approved
2,552
Refused
48
Wards covered
Planning in West Suffolk? 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 West Suffolk. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
92.2%
93.1%
99.9%
96.9%
89.9%
70.8%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in West Suffolk, mined from 40,184 proposal descriptions.
90.5%
96.7%
95.1%
95.0%
94.3%
83.9%
96.8%
94.8%
93.8%
94.9%
90.0%
95.9%
94.1%
97.0%
92.6%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within West Suffolk. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Abbeygate
94.3%
Clare, Hundon And Kedington
94.3%
The Fornhams And Great Barton
92.9%
Risby
94.4%
Newmarket East
95.1%
Whepstead And Wickhambrook
93.3%
Minden
92.4%
Withersfield
96.2%
The Rows
88.4%
Chedburgh And Chevington
94.6%
Lakenheath
91.4%
Horringer
95.0%
Bardwell
94.9%
Manor
93.0%
Moreton Hall
95.4%
Kentford And Moulton
92.4%
Newmarket West
93.5%
Tollgate
94.0%
Eastgate
95.8%
Newmarket North
94.2%
Wards in West Suffolk
Abbeygate
94.3% approval · 3,071 decisions
Clare, Hundon And Kedington
94.3% approval · 2,977 decisions
The Fornhams And Great Barton
92.9% approval · 1,635 decisions
Risby
94.4% approval · 1,529 decisions
Newmarket East
95.1% approval · 1,503 decisions
Whepstead And Wickhambrook
93.3% approval · 1,484 decisions
Minden
92.4% approval · 1,407 decisions
Withersfield
96.2% approval · 1,353 decisions
The Rows
88.4% approval · 1,350 decisions
Chedburgh And Chevington
94.6% approval · 1,231 decisions
Lakenheath
91.4% approval · 1,197 decisions
Horringer
95.0% approval · 1,182 decisions
Bardwell
94.9% approval · 1,129 decisions
Manor
93.0% approval · 1,120 decisions
Moreton Hall
95.4% approval · 1,077 decisions
Kentford And Moulton
92.4% approval · 1,043 decisions
Newmarket West
93.5% approval · 1,035 decisions
Tollgate
94.0% approval · 1,014 decisions
Eastgate
95.8% approval · 953 decisions
Newmarket North
94.2% approval · 829 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in West Suffolk, showing how the council decides real applications.
Householder planning application - a. conversion of existing outbuilding to anci · Whepstead And Wickhambrook · Thu 13 Aug 2026
Householder prior approval - single storey rear extension which extends beyond t · Southgate · Wed 12 Aug 2026
Householder planning application - ramped access to front elevation · Brandon East · Wed 12 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In West Suffolk, 1 in 16 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Full Planning Analysis gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:
✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in West Suffolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for West Suffolk →
✓ Common refusal reasons in West Suffolk
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 40,184 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in West Suffolk
What is the planning approval rate in West Suffolk?
Based on 40,184 planning decisions analysed since 2020, West Suffolk approved 93.6% of applications and refused 6.4%. The council is ranked 212th out of 300 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in West Suffolk?
West Suffolk refuses 6.4% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 16. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 40,184 decided applications since 2020, 2,552 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of West Suffolk have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in West Suffolk are in Haverhill East (99.6%), St Olaves (96.2%), and Withersfield (96.2%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in West Suffolk?
The most common planning application types in West Suffolk are: Full (19,120 decisions, 92.2% approved), Other (8,985, 93.1%), and Trees (5,211, 99.9%).
How long does a planning application take in West Suffolk?
Planning applications in West Suffolk take an average of 9.6 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 39,973 decisions with a recorded timeline. That is slower than the 8-week statutory target for householder applications (the statutory targets are 8 weeks for householder applications and 13 weeks for major developments). PlanningLens measures the actual time each application takes, not just the target. West Suffolk decides approximately 6,697 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in West Suffolk?
You can search planning applications in West Suffolk directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 40,184 historical decisions in West Suffolk to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for West Suffolk calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes West Suffolk's official planning portal and analyses every published decision since January 2020. The approval rate is calculated as approved decisions divided by total decided applications, excluding withdrawn and pending applications. The full methodology, data sourcing, and Creative Commons BY 4.0 licensing terms are published at planninglens.co.uk/methodology.