Western Isles Council approves 98.9% of planning applications, based on 1,850 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Western Isles sits 13.9 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 435 decided applications, Western Isles Council approved 98.6% of planning applications in 2025. Across 1,850 decisions on record (January 2022 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in Western Isles is 98.9%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Western Isles council planning portal records · Data to 24 September 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 Western Isles.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 1,565 | 19 | 1,584 | 98.8% |
| Prior Approval | 276 | 1 | 277 | 99.6% |
| Listed Building | 47 | 0 | 47 | 100.0% |
| Advertisement | 39 | 0 | 39 | 100.0% |
| Trees | 29 | 0 | 29 | 100.0% |
| Full | 22 | 1 | 23 | 95.7% |
| Discharge of Conditions | 16 | 0 | 16 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla | 251 | 1 | 252 | 99.6% |
| Na Hearadh | 228 | 2 | 230 | 99.1% |
| Uibhist A Tuath | 207 | 1 | 208 | 99.5% |
| Sgir' Uige Agus Carlabhagh | 193 | 5 | 198 | 97.5% |
| Steòrnabhagh A Deas | 188 | 3 | 191 | 98.4% |
| An Taobh Siar Agus Nis | 173 | 2 | 175 | 98.9% |
| Loch A Tuath | 144 | 1 | 145 | 99.3% |
| Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh | 132 | 3 | 135 | 97.8% |
| Sgire Nan Loch | 132 | 1 | 133 | 99.2% |
| Sgire An Rubha | 124 | 1 | 125 | 99.2% |
| Steòrnabhagh A Tuath | 122 | 0 | 122 | 100.0% |
| Na Hearadh Agus Ceann A Deas Nan Loch | 23 | 0 | 23 | 100.0% |
| Sgir' Uige Agus Ceann A Tuath Nan Loch | 20 | 0 | 20 | 100.0% |
| Beinn Na Foghla Agus Uibhist A Tuath | 16 | 1 | 17 | 94.1% |
| Barraigh Agus Uibhist A Deas | 17 | 0 | 17 | 100.0% |
| Steornabhagh A Deas | 13 | 0 | 13 | 100.0% |
| Not Applicable | 12 | 0 | 12 | 100.0% |
How Western Isles’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, up 0.4pp since 2022.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Western Isles council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 26/00010/PPD Steòrnabhagh A Deas | Change of use of building from commercial to domestic dwelling; change of use to | Approved |
| 26/00349/TEL Loch A Tuath | Replacement of 1no. existing 0.3m dish and ancillary development thereto. | Approved |
| 26/00265/AGRIC An Taobh Siar Agus Nis | Erection of 2 x polycarbonate tunnels | Approved |
| 26/00255/PPD Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh | Refurbishment of existing black house, including; new roof structure and roofing | Approved |
| 26/00245/PPD Na Hearadh | Demolish house, erect new house and improve access. | Approved |
| 26/00256/LBC Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh | Refurbishment of existing black house, replacement of roof structure, roof cover | Approved |
| 26/00290/PPD Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh | Erection of domestic garage | Approved |
| 26/00261/PPD Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla | Change of use of no. 23, 25 & 27 to houses and install air source heat pumps. Ex | Approved |
| 26/00262/PPD Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla | Change of use of no.41, 42, 44, 45 & 46 to houses and install air source heat pu | Approved |
| 26/00330/DEMPA Na Hearadh | Demolition of derelict 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 Western Isles's 1,850 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Western Isles's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
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Dig deeper into Western Isles'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 Western Isles. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 1,850 real decisions from Western Isles 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 Western Isles'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 1,850 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Western Isles is 98.9%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 1,850 planning decisions from Western Isles council. 1,829 were approved and 21 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, January 2022 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in Western Isles is 98.9%, 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 Western Isles? 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.