York planning approval rate

York council approved 90.3% of planning applications and refused 9.7%, based on 10,877 decisions analysed. Ranked 106th out of 221 councils for strictness.

Last updated: March 2026 · Based on decisions from January 2020 to present

90.3%

overall approval rate

10,877

Decisions analysed

9,827

Approved

1,050

Refused

Wards covered

Planning in York? 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 York. Householder and full planning applications typically have the highest volume.

Full (5,917 decided)

90.3%

Other (2,175 decided)

89.8%

Trees (1,467 decided)

93.7%

Listed Building (634 decided)

90.4%

Certificate of Lawfulness (357 decided)

86.8%

Advertisement (280 decided)

84.3%

Prior Approval (47 decided)

80.9%

Approval rate by project type

These rates are based on what homeowners are actually building in York — mined from 10,877 proposal descriptions.

Rear Extension (2,435 decided)

94.1%

Side Extension (1,600 decided)

93.8%

Garage / Parking (1,205 decided)

90.7%

Dormer (806 decided)

89.1%

Extension (General) (616 decided)

88.6%

Wraparound Extension (521 decided)

95.2%

Change of Use (Residential) (514 decided)

77.8%

New Build (433 decided)

76.0%

Outbuilding (355 decided)

87.6%

Front Extension (351 decided)

92.3%

Conservatory (315 decided)

96.2%

HMO (296 decided)

82.1%

Loft Conversion (225 decided)

89.8%

Hip-to-Gable Conversion (159 decided)

93.1%

Annex (103 decided)

87.4%

Basement (84 decided)

86.9%

Flat Conversion (21 decided)

57.1%

Approval rate by ward

Planning outcomes vary significantly by ward within York. Click any ward for detailed statistics.

Guildhall (1,676 decided)

89.9%

Micklegate (1,003 decided)

90.5%

Rural West York (854 decided)

88.6%

Rawcliffe And Clifton Without (575 decided)

90.3%

Osbaldwick And Derwent (552 decided)

86.4%

Huntington/New Earswick (543 decided)

93.7%

Haxby And Wigginton (539 decided)

89.6%

Dringhouses And Woodthorpe (525 decided)

92.0%

Strensall (455 decided)

86.6%

Heworth (455 decided)

89.0%

Holgate (437 decided)

93.4%

Clifton (420 decided)

91.0%

Fishergate (405 decided)

91.9%

Wheldrake (376 decided)

88.0%

Hull Road (364 decided)

87.4%

Fulford And Heslington (358 decided)

89.7%

Bishopthorpe (312 decided)

92.0%

Westfield (301 decided)

94.0%

Acomb (271 decided)

94.5%

Copmanthorpe (229 decided)

91.3%

Wards in York

Guildhall

89.9% approval · 1,676 decisions

Micklegate

90.5% approval · 1,003 decisions

Rural West York

88.6% approval · 854 decisions

Rawcliffe And Clifton Without

90.3% approval · 575 decisions

Osbaldwick And Derwent

86.4% approval · 552 decisions

Huntington/New Earswick

93.7% approval · 543 decisions

Haxby And Wigginton

89.6% approval · 539 decisions

Dringhouses And Woodthorpe

92.0% approval · 525 decisions

Strensall

86.6% approval · 455 decisions

Heworth

89.0% approval · 455 decisions

Holgate

93.4% approval · 437 decisions

Clifton

91.0% approval · 420 decisions

Fishergate

91.9% approval · 405 decisions

Wheldrake

88.0% approval · 376 decisions

Hull Road

87.4% approval · 364 decisions

Fulford And Heslington

89.7% approval · 358 decisions

Bishopthorpe

92.0% approval · 312 decisions

Westfield

94.0% approval · 301 decisions

Acomb

94.5% approval · 271 decisions

Copmanthorpe

91.3% approval · 229 decisions

Recent comparable decisions

The most recent residential planning decisions in York, showing how the council decides real applications.

24/01044/FUL

Two storey side and rear extension after removal of garage · Strensall · Tue 06 Aug 2024

Refused

24/01042/FUL

Conversion of existing double garage to habitable space with associated exterior · Huntington/New Earswick · Mon 05 Aug 2024

Approved

24/01046/FUL

Hip to gable roof extension and dormer to rear · Huntington/New Earswick · Thu 01 Aug 2024

Approved

Showing 3 of 200 comparable decisions. See all 200 in the Pro Report →

What gets approved near your property?

In York, 1 in 10 applications are refused. Your PlanningLens Pro Report gives you 17 pages of intelligence specific to your property:

✓ Ward-level approval rates for your exact area
✓ Common refusal reasons in York
✓ Your 10 nearest comparable planning decisions
✓ Appeal success rates
✓ PDF report to share with your architect

Get York Pro Report — £79

Less than one set of revised drawings. Based on 10,877 decisions.

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