Western Isles planning approval rate
Western Isles council approved 98.9% of planning applications and refused 1.1%, based on 1,951 decisions analysed. Ranked 295th out of 300 councils for strictness.
Last updated: August 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to August 2026
98.9%
overall approval rate
1,951
Decisions analysed
1,930
Approved
21
Refused
17
Wards covered
Planning in Western Isles? 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 Western Isles. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.
98.8%
99.6%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
95.7%
100.0%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Western Isles, mined from 1,951 proposal descriptions.
98.1%
99.3%
99.1%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Approval rate by ward
Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within Western Isles. Click any ward for detailed statistics.
Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla
99.6%
Na Hearadh
99.1%
Uibhist A Tuath
99.5%
Sgir' Uige Agus Carlabhagh
97.3%
Steòrnabhagh A Deas
98.4%
An Taobh Siar Agus Nis
98.8%
Loch A Tuath
99.3%
Sgire Nan Loch
99.2%
Sgire An Rubha
99.2%
Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh
97.6%
Steòrnabhagh A Tuath
100.0%
Na Hearadh Agus Ceann A Deas Nan Loch
100.0%
Sgir' Uige Agus Ceann A Tuath Nan Loch
100.0%
Wards in Western Isles
Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla
99.6% approval · 247 decisions
Na Hearadh
99.1% approval · 227 decisions
Uibhist A Tuath
99.5% approval · 196 decisions
Sgir' Uige Agus Carlabhagh
97.3% approval · 187 decisions
Steòrnabhagh A Deas
98.4% approval · 186 decisions
An Taobh Siar Agus Nis
98.8% approval · 168 decisions
Loch A Tuath
99.3% approval · 142 decisions
Sgire Nan Loch
99.2% approval · 131 decisions
Sgire An Rubha
99.2% approval · 125 decisions
Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh
97.6% approval · 124 decisions
Steòrnabhagh A Tuath
100.0% approval · 115 decisions
Na Hearadh Agus Ceann A Deas Nan Loch
100.0% approval · 23 decisions
Sgir' Uige Agus Ceann A Tuath Nan Loch
100.0% approval · 20 decisions
Recent comparable decisions
The most recent residential planning decisions in Western Isles, showing how the council decides real applications.
Extensions to existing building · Sgire An Rubha · Fri 14 Aug 2026
Installation of Subtended Headend Sidepod onto existing BT cabinet · Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh · Thu 13 Aug 2026
Installation of Subtended Headend Sidepod onto existing BT cabinet · Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh · Thu 13 Aug 2026
Showing 3 recent comparable decisions. See more in the full report →
What gets approved near your property?
In Western Isles, 1 in 91 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 Western Isles
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free planning check for Western Isles →
✓ Common refusal reasons in Western Isles
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect
Free. Based on 1,951 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Western Isles
What is the planning approval rate in Western Isles?
Based on 1,951 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Western Isles approved 98.9% of applications and refused 1.1%. The council is ranked 295th out of 300 UK councils for approval rate.
How many planning applications are refused in Western Isles?
Western Isles refuses 1.1% of planning applications, roughly 1 in 91. That is lower than the UK average of 11.4%. Out of 1,951 decided applications since 2020, 21 were refused. PlanningLens lets you check any postcode to see which applications were refused near a specific property.
Which areas of Western Isles have the highest planning approval rates?
The highest approval rates in Western Isles are in Steòrnabhagh A Tuath (100.0%), Uibhist A Deas,Eirisgeigh,Beinn Faoghla (99.6%), and Uibhist A Tuath (99.5%). Approval rates vary significantly by ward, see the full ward breakdown above.
What types of planning application are most common in Western Isles?
The most common planning application types in Western Isles are: Other (1,534 decisions, 98.8% approved), Prior Approval (269, 99.6%), and Listed Building (44, 100.0%).
How long does a planning application take in Western Isles?
Planning applications in Western Isles take an average of 11.2 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 1,944 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. Western Isles decides approximately 325 planning applications per year.
How do I check planning applications in Western Isles?
You can search planning applications in Western Isles directly on the council's official planning portal. PlanningLens also lets you check any postcode against 1,951 historical decisions in Western Isles to see what's been approved and refused near a specific property.
How is PlanningLens approval rate data for Western Isles calculated?
PlanningLens scrapes Western Isles' 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.