Western Isles planning approval rate
Western Isles council approved 98.9% of planning applications and refused 1.1%, based on 1,875 decisions analysed. Ranked 274th out of 279 councils for strictness.
Last updated: June 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present
98.9%
overall approval rate
1,875
Decisions analysed
1,855
Approved
20
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%
Approval rate by project type
These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in Western Isles — mined from 1,875 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
98.3%
An Taobh Siar Agus Nis
99.4%
Loch A Tuath
99.2%
Sgire Nan Loch
99.2%
Sgire An Rubha
99.2%
Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh
97.5%
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 · 237 decisions
Na Hearadh
99.1% approval · 221 decisions
Uibhist A Tuath
99.5% approval · 186 decisions
Sgir' Uige Agus Carlabhagh
97.3% approval · 183 decisions
Steòrnabhagh A Deas
98.3% approval · 179 decisions
An Taobh Siar Agus Nis
99.4% approval · 156 decisions
Loch A Tuath
99.2% approval · 132 decisions
Sgire Nan Loch
99.2% approval · 129 decisions
Sgire An Rubha
99.2% approval · 124 decisions
Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh
97.5% approval · 119 decisions
Steòrnabhagh A Tuath
100.0% approval · 108 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.
Phased housing development to erect 94 houses on brownfield site with associated · Steòrnabhagh A Deas · Tue 23 Jun 2026
Install 16 photo-voltaic panels, in 2 banks of 8, on south facing pitch of roof, · Na Hearadh · Mon 22 Jun 2026
Erect house, create access & hardstanding · Barraigh Agus Bhatarsaigh · Fri 19 Jun 2026
Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 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 1,875 decisions.
Compare with nearby councils
Frequently asked questions about planning in Western Isles
What is the planning approval rate in Western Isles?
Based on 1,875 planning decisions analysed since 2020, Western Isles approved 98.9% of applications and refused 1.1%. The council is ranked 274th out of 279 UK councils for approval rate.
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 (1,473 decisions, 98.8% approved), Prior Approval (260, 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 11.3 weeks to reach a decision, measured across 1,868 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 312 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 1,875 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.