Westminster Council approves 90.5% of planning applications, based on 56,619 real decisions analysed from the council’s public planning portal. The national average across all councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Westminster sits 5.5 percentage points above the national average.
According to PlanningLens analysis of 8,048 decided applications, Westminster Council approved 88.1% of planning applications in 2025. Across 56,619 decisions on record (January 1987 to September 2026), the overall approval rate in Westminster is 90.5%; the national average across UK councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%.
Source: PlanningLens (planninglens.co.uk) analysis of Westminster council planning portal records · Data to 28 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 Westminster.
| Application Type | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 60,192 | 6,093 | 66,285 | 90.8% |
| Prior Approval | 179 | 50 | 229 | 78.2% |
| Full | 65 | 8 | 73 | 89.0% |
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 PostcodeHow Westminster’s planning approval rate has changed year by year, down 8.1pp since 2018.
Bar height reflects approval rate. Colour: green ≥85%, amber ≥70%, red below 70%.
Real residential planning decisions from Westminster council. Each reference links to the council's own planning portal so you can verify the details yourself.
| Reference | Proposal | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| None Kbw_22 | Installation of DDA accessible lift at front door. (Linked with 26/01456/LBC) | Approved |
| None Kbw_22 | Installation of DDA accessible lift at front door. (Linked with 26/00193/FULL) | Approved |
| None Lgw_22 | Installation of replacement boiler flue and replacement front door. (part retros | Refused |
| None Lgw_22 | Installation of replacement boiler flue and replacement front door. (Part retros | Refused |
| None Kbw_22 | Replacement of basement entrance door and fanlight with bullet-resistant door an | Approved |
| None Kbw_22 | Replacement of basement entrance door and fanlight with bullet-resistant door an | Approved |
| None Lvw_22 | Internal and external alterations to the lower ground and ground floor maisonett | Approved |
| None Lvw_22 | Internal and external alterations to the lower ground and ground floor maisonett | Approved |
| None Pnw_22 | Internal alterations and refurbishment to lower ground and ground floor levels i | Approved |
| None Lgw_22 | Erection of fifth floor rear dormer and balcony, along with alterations to layou | Refused |
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 Westminster's 56,619 real decisions. Free, emailed in minutes.
Check my postcodeCompare Westminster's planning approval rates with neighbouring areas:
Dig deeper into Westminster'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 Westminster. Enter your postcode to instantly see approval rates for your ward and application type, based on 56,619 real decisions from Westminster 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 Westminster'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 56,619 planning decisions, the overall approval rate in Westminster is 90.5%. The national average across councils tracked by PlanningLens is 85.0%. Rates vary significantly by ward and application type.
PlanningLens has analysed 56,619 planning decisions from Westminster council. 51,212 were approved and 5,407 were refused. These figures cover every decision on record for the council, January 1987 to September 2026.
The average approval rate in Westminster is 90.5%, 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 Westminster? 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.