Which councils approve the most planning applications? And which refuse the most? We ranked every council in our database.
Your ward, application type, and proposal details all affect outcomes.
These councils approve the highest proportion of planning applications. A high council-wide rate does not guarantee your application will succeed — ward and proposal type matter enormously.
| Council | Decisions | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Dacorum | 1,135 | 99.7% |
| Fareham | 2,490 | 99.1% |
| Mid Devon | 3,803 | 98.9% |
| Aberdeenshire | 1,022 | 98.8% |
| Mansfield | 2,946 | 98.8% |
| City of London | 9,789 | 98.7% |
| North Ayrshire | 999 | 98.7% |
| Somerset | 553 | 98.7% |
| LLDC | 3,226 | 98.6% |
| Falkirk | 545 | 98.5% |
These councils have the toughest track records. If your property falls in one of these areas, professional pre-application advice is strongly recommended.
| Council | Decisions | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| East Hertfordshire | 16,563 | 73.2% |
| Maldon | 3,963 | 75.3% |
| Brent | 32,531 | 76.0% |
| Greenwich | 22,217 | 78.1% |
| Bradford | 26,787 | 78.8% |
| Hillingdon | 30,009 | 78.9% |
| Redbridge | 33,149 | 79.0% |
| Waltham Forest | 21,278 | 79.1% |
| Havering | 23,213 | 79.3% |
| Barking & Dagenham | 9,122 | 79.3% |
Your ward, application type, and proposal details all affect outcomes. Get a personalised score for your specific postcode.
Check Approval Patterns — Free| # | Council | Approved | Refused | Total | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dacorum | 1,132 | 3 | 1,135 | 99.7% |
| 2 | Fareham | 2,468 | 22 | 2,490 | 99.1% |
| 3 | Mid Devon | 3,763 | 40 | 3,803 | 98.9% |
| 4 | Aberdeenshire | 1,010 | 12 | 1,022 | 98.8% |
| 5 | Mansfield | 2,911 | 35 | 2,946 | 98.8% |
| 6 | City of London | 9,665 | 124 | 9,789 | 98.7% |
| 7 | North Ayrshire | 986 | 13 | 999 | 98.7% |
| 8 | Somerset | 546 | 7 | 553 | 98.7% |
| 9 | LLDC | 3,182 | 44 | 3,226 | 98.6% |
| 10 | Falkirk | 537 | 8 | 545 | 98.5% |
| 11 | Monmouthshire | 1,329 | 21 | 1,350 | 98.4% |
| 12 | Shetland | 6,168 | 99 | 6,267 | 98.4% |
| 13 | Moray | 1,131 | 19 | 1,150 | 98.3% |
| 14 | Clackmannanshire | 948 | 17 | 965 | 98.2% |
| 15 | Harlow | 2,446 | 51 | 2,497 | 98.0% |
| 16 | Dumfries & Galloway | 22,028 | 530 | 22,558 | 97.7% |
| 17 | Gosport | 1,490 | 36 | 1,526 | 97.6% |
| 18 | OPDC | 1,197 | 33 | 1,230 | 97.3% |
| 19 | Carlisle | 4,095 | 124 | 4,219 | 97.1% |
| 20 | South Lanarkshire | 25,046 | 812 | 25,858 | 96.9% |
| 21 | South Norfolk | 3,612 | 119 | 3,731 | 96.8% |
| 22 | Hambleton | 3,886 | 141 | 4,027 | 96.5% |
| 23 | Rushmoor | 4,013 | 144 | 4,157 | 96.5% |
| 24 | Angus | 13,342 | 546 | 13,888 | 96.1% |
| 25 | Orkney | 7,615 | 318 | 7,933 | 96.0% |
| 26 | Cheltenham | 13,047 | 553 | 13,600 | 95.9% |
| 27 | Huntingdonshire | 3,969 | 168 | 4,137 | 95.9% |
| 28 | Melton | 3,494 | 153 | 3,647 | 95.8% |
| 29 | Argyll & Bute | 3,577 | 161 | 3,738 | 95.7% |
| 30 | Midlothian | 910 | 41 | 951 | 95.7% |
| 31 | Cotswold | 22,099 | 1,009 | 23,108 | 95.6% |
| 32 | East Ayrshire | 1,063 | 49 | 1,112 | 95.6% |
| 33 | Lincoln | 6,463 | 318 | 6,781 | 95.3% |
| 34 | South Ribble | 3,759 | 185 | 3,944 | 95.3% |
| 35 | South Tyneside | 3,084 | 151 | 3,235 | 95.3% |
| 36 | Stirling | 11,601 | 581 | 12,182 | 95.2% |
| 37 | Stockton-on-Tees | 2,054 | 104 | 2,158 | 95.2% |
| 38 | Bolsover | 1,943 | 100 | 2,043 | 95.1% |
| 39 | West Lancashire | 3,735 | 193 | 3,928 | 95.1% |
| 40 | County Durham | 13,657 | 720 | 14,377 | 95.0% |
| 41 | Winchester | 6,184 | 331 | 6,515 | 94.9% |
| 42 | Broxtowe | 4,338 | 243 | 4,581 | 94.7% |
| 43 | East Lindsey | 3,759 | 209 | 3,968 | 94.7% |
| 44 | Tamworth | 5,491 | 307 | 5,798 | 94.7% |
| 45 | Canterbury | 4,040 | 230 | 4,270 | 94.6% |
| 46 | North Norfolk | 1,899 | 109 | 2,008 | 94.6% |
| 47 | North Northamptonshire | 4,008 | 230 | 4,238 | 94.6% |
| 48 | Knowsley | 4,044 | 236 | 4,280 | 94.5% |
| 49 | North York Moors | 2,959 | 171 | 3,130 | 94.5% |
| 50 | Perth & Kinross | 20,877 | 1,223 | 22,100 | 94.5% |
| 51 | Highland | 1,876 | 111 | 1,987 | 94.4% |
| 52 | North Tyneside | 5,401 | 318 | 5,719 | 94.4% |
| 53 | South Holland | 1,220 | 73 | 1,293 | 94.4% |
| 54 | Aberdeen | 20,217 | 1,231 | 21,448 | 94.3% |
| 55 | Swindon | 3,685 | 223 | 3,908 | 94.3% |
| 56 | West Oxfordshire | 6,067 | 368 | 6,435 | 94.3% |
| 57 | Broadland | 3,152 | 196 | 3,348 | 94.1% |
| 58 | Dundee | 9,737 | 606 | 10,343 | 94.1% |
| 59 | Mid Sussex | 7,347 | 472 | 7,819 | 94.0% |
| 60 | North East Lincolnshire | 2,853 | 183 | 3,036 | 94.0% |
| 61 | Rugby | 5,767 | 368 | 6,135 | 94.0% |
| 62 | Cornwall | 5,833 | 379 | 6,212 | 93.9% |
| 63 | Yorkshire Dales NPA | 3,913 | 255 | 4,168 | 93.9% |
| 64 | Gateshead | 6,715 | 441 | 7,156 | 93.8% |
| 65 | Stevenage | 3,381 | 225 | 3,606 | 93.8% |
| 66 | Arun | 2,297 | 154 | 2,451 | 93.7% |
| 67 | Derbyshire Dales | 3,625 | 244 | 3,869 | 93.7% |
| 68 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 493 | 33 | 526 | 93.7% |
| 69 | Nottingham | 5,874 | 404 | 6,278 | 93.6% |
| 70 | Wandsworth | 24,553 | 1,708 | 26,261 | 93.5% |
| 71 | Derby | 3,730 | 265 | 3,995 | 93.4% |
| 72 | Bath & NE Somerset | 34,341 | 2,478 | 36,819 | 93.3% |
| 73 | Lancaster | 3,745 | 269 | 4,014 | 93.3% |
| 74 | Southwark | 26,760 | 1,915 | 28,675 | 93.3% |
| 75 | Adur & Worthing | 12,848 | 938 | 13,786 | 93.2% |
| 76 | Chorley | 3,271 | 238 | 3,509 | 93.2% |
| 77 | Dover | 6,294 | 461 | 6,755 | 93.2% |
| 78 | King's Lynn & West Norfolk | 1,875 | 136 | 2,011 | 93.2% |
| 79 | South Downs | 9,798 | 713 | 10,511 | 93.2% |
| 80 | Torridge | 7,474 | 546 | 8,020 | 93.2% |
| 81 | Bromsgrove & Redditch | 1,739 | 129 | 1,868 | 93.1% |
| 82 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 8,182 | 603 | 8,785 | 93.1% |
| 83 | Plymouth | 6,093 | 457 | 6,550 | 93.0% |
| 84 | Three Rivers | 2,801 | 211 | 3,012 | 93.0% |
| 85 | Sandwell | 5,904 | 450 | 6,354 | 92.9% |
| 86 | Solihull | 4,094 | 312 | 4,406 | 92.9% |
| 87 | Blaby | 2,122 | 166 | 2,288 | 92.7% |
| 88 | Rotherham | 2,321 | 182 | 2,503 | 92.7% |
| 89 | Norwich | 7,574 | 605 | 8,179 | 92.6% |
| 90 | Kensington & Chelsea | 30,671 | 2,504 | 33,175 | 92.5% |
| 91 | Dorset | 7,635 | 632 | 8,267 | 92.4% |
| 92 | Telford & Wrekin | 13,908 | 1,143 | 15,051 | 92.4% |
| 93 | Torfaen | 4,244 | 348 | 4,592 | 92.4% |
| 94 | Gedling | 3,869 | 325 | 4,194 | 92.3% |
| 95 | Camden | 17,846 | 1,527 | 19,373 | 92.1% |
| 96 | Hammersmith & Fulham | 17,837 | 1,520 | 19,357 | 92.1% |
| 97 | Exmoor NPA | 1,682 | 146 | 1,828 | 92.0% |
| 98 | Cheshire West & Chester | 14,750 | 1,304 | 16,054 | 91.9% |
| 99 | Babergh Mid Suffolk | 3,162 | 282 | 3,444 | 91.8% |
| 100 | Darlington | 2,108 | 193 | 2,301 | 91.6% |
| 101 | Lewes & Eastbourne | 1,782 | 166 | 1,948 | 91.5% |
| 102 | Oxford | 5,010 | 467 | 5,477 | 91.5% |
| 103 | Doncaster | 10,343 | 972 | 11,315 | 91.4% |
| 104 | Stroud | 8,430 | 793 | 9,223 | 91.4% |
| 105 | Bury | 4,465 | 431 | 4,896 | 91.2% |
| 106 | Horsham | 11,282 | 1,090 | 12,372 | 91.2% |
| 107 | Lake District NPA | 7,182 | 690 | 7,872 | 91.2% |
| 108 | Powys | 3,409 | 329 | 3,738 | 91.2% |
| 109 | Test Valley | 5,070 | 488 | 5,558 | 91.2% |
| 110 | Great Yarmouth | 2,201 | 217 | 2,418 | 91.0% |
| 111 | Tewkesbury | 5,830 | 580 | 6,410 | 91.0% |
| 112 | Rossendale | 412 | 41 | 453 | 90.9% |
| 113 | Sheffield | 5,597 | 568 | 6,165 | 90.8% |
| 114 | Tendring | 287 | 29 | 316 | 90.8% |
| 115 | Westminster | 55,135 | 5,563 | 60,698 | 90.8% |
| 116 | Fife | 4,828 | 493 | 5,321 | 90.7% |
| 117 | Hinckley & Bosworth | 2,851 | 291 | 3,142 | 90.7% |
| 118 | Southampton | 913 | 94 | 1,007 | 90.7% |
| 119 | West Lothian | 12,179 | 1,244 | 13,423 | 90.7% |
| 120 | Forest of Dean | 5,479 | 567 | 6,046 | 90.6% |
| 121 | East Cambridgeshire | 9,885 | 1,043 | 10,928 | 90.5% |
| 122 | Exeter | 6,106 | 644 | 6,750 | 90.5% |
| 123 | Pembrokeshire Coast NPA | 2,688 | 281 | 2,969 | 90.5% |
| 124 | Spelthorne | 649 | 68 | 717 | 90.5% |
| 125 | Surrey Heath | 3,641 | 380 | 4,021 | 90.5% |
| 126 | Cambridge | 5,218 | 552 | 5,770 | 90.4% |
| 127 | Chesterfield | 4,339 | 461 | 4,800 | 90.4% |
| 128 | North East Derbyshire | 5,785 | 621 | 6,406 | 90.3% |
| 129 | York | 9,827 | 1,050 | 10,877 | 90.3% |
| 130 | Luton | 2,917 | 318 | 3,235 | 90.2% |
| 131 | North Somerset | 17,431 | 1,899 | 19,330 | 90.2% |
| 132 | Basildon | 521 | 57 | 578 | 90.1% |
| 133 | South Ayrshire | 328 | 36 | 364 | 90.1% |
| 134 | Barnsley | 22,158 | 2,458 | 24,616 | 90.0% |
| 135 | Newport | 4,342 | 482 | 4,824 | 90.0% |
| 136 | Cannock Chase | 2,298 | 258 | 2,556 | 89.9% |
| 137 | Chichester | 2,435 | 274 | 2,709 | 89.9% |
| 138 | Basingstoke & Deane | 9,920 | 1,129 | 11,049 | 89.8% |
| 139 | Brighton & Hove | 2,839 | 324 | 3,163 | 89.8% |
| 140 | Wakefield | 11,309 | 1,292 | 12,601 | 89.7% |
| 141 | Warwick | 11,294 | 1,300 | 12,594 | 89.7% |
| 142 | Wigan | 4,261 | 497 | 4,758 | 89.6% |
| 143 | Dudley | 11,699 | 1,384 | 13,083 | 89.4% |
| 144 | Kingston upon Hull | 5,500 | 652 | 6,152 | 89.4% |
| 145 | Maidstone | 373 | 45 | 418 | 89.2% |
| 146 | Swale | 371 | 45 | 416 | 89.2% |
| 147 | Blackburn with Darwen | 11,143 | 1,383 | 12,526 | 89.0% |
| 148 | Cheshire East | 11,253 | 1,390 | 12,643 | 89.0% |
| 149 | Tonbridge & Malling | 3,056 | 376 | 3,432 | 89.0% |
| 150 | Tower Hamlets | 23,406 | 2,890 | 26,296 | 89.0% |
| 151 | Rushcliffe | 6,634 | 836 | 7,470 | 88.8% |
| 152 | Liverpool | 42,558 | 5,477 | 48,035 | 88.6% |
| 153 | Oldham | 6,060 | 776 | 6,836 | 88.6% |
| 154 | Reigate & Banstead | 11,771 | 1,516 | 13,287 | 88.6% |
| 155 | Sunderland | 9,283 | 1,199 | 10,482 | 88.6% |
| 156 | Portsmouth | 8,152 | 1,062 | 9,214 | 88.5% |
| 157 | Haringey | 20,752 | 2,736 | 23,488 | 88.4% |
| 158 | Dartford | 6,263 | 839 | 7,102 | 88.2% |
| 159 | Isle of Wight | 12,428 | 1,670 | 14,098 | 88.2% |
| 160 | Trafford | 11,725 | 1,570 | 13,295 | 88.2% |
| 161 | Glasgow | 34,692 | 4,667 | 39,359 | 88.1% |
| 162 | Medway | 9,077 | 1,225 | 10,302 | 88.1% |
| 163 | Ceredigion | 32,889 | 4,523 | 37,412 | 87.9% |
| 164 | Epsom & Ewell | 7,157 | 982 | 8,139 | 87.9% |
| 165 | Manchester | 12,085 | 1,665 | 13,750 | 87.9% |
| 166 | Bolton | 3,295 | 458 | 3,753 | 87.8% |
| 167 | Hounslow | 63,347 | 8,848 | 72,195 | 87.7% |
| 168 | New Forest | 7,840 | 1,100 | 8,940 | 87.7% |
| 169 | Calderdale | 11,615 | 1,639 | 13,254 | 87.6% |
| 170 | Sefton | 5,644 | 809 | 6,453 | 87.5% |
| 171 | Newark & Sherwood | 8,710 | 1,256 | 9,966 | 87.4% |
| 172 | Richmond | 28,213 | 4,103 | 32,316 | 87.3% |
| 173 | Runnymede | 11,677 | 1,710 | 13,387 | 87.2% |
| 174 | Tameside | 3,018 | 447 | 3,465 | 87.1% |
| 175 | Thanet | 23,516 | 3,493 | 27,009 | 87.1% |
| 176 | Bristol | 21,304 | 3,225 | 24,529 | 86.9% |
| 177 | South Gloucestershire | 13,283 | 2,002 | 15,285 | 86.9% |
| 178 | Sevenoaks | 11,008 | 1,679 | 12,687 | 86.8% |
| 179 | Castle Point | 2,168 | 332 | 2,500 | 86.7% |
| 180 | Hackney | 16,128 | 2,506 | 18,634 | 86.6% |
| 181 | Leeds | 38,647 | 5,968 | 44,615 | 86.6% |
| 182 | Dartmoor NPA | 3,667 | 577 | 4,244 | 86.4% |
| 183 | Gravesham | 475 | 75 | 550 | 86.4% |
| 184 | Hastings | 5,070 | 799 | 5,869 | 86.4% |
| 185 | Flintshire | 5,115 | 815 | 5,930 | 86.3% |
| 186 | Kirklees | 25,571 | 4,048 | 29,619 | 86.3% |
| 187 | Pendle | 2,491 | 396 | 2,887 | 86.3% |
| 188 | Swansea | 2,474 | 399 | 2,873 | 86.1% |
| 189 | Ealing | 58,118 | 9,449 | 67,567 | 86.0% |
| 190 | Merton | 15,089 | 2,468 | 17,557 | 85.9% |
| 191 | Chelmsford | 433 | 72 | 505 | 85.7% |
| 192 | Hart | 8,529 | 1,441 | 9,970 | 85.5% |
| 193 | Buckinghamshire | 21,784 | 3,754 | 25,538 | 85.3% |
| 194 | Windsor & Maidenhead | 5,601 | 974 | 6,575 | 85.2% |
| 195 | Gloucester | 3,454 | 603 | 4,057 | 85.1% |
| 196 | Hertsmere | 2,634 | 460 | 3,094 | 85.1% |
| 197 | Bassetlaw | 2,164 | 383 | 2,547 | 85.0% |
| 198 | Bexley | 17,473 | 3,099 | 20,572 | 84.9% |
| 199 | Lichfield | 2,194 | 389 | 2,583 | 84.9% |
| 200 | Blackpool | 469 | 85 | 554 | 84.7% |
| 201 | Newham | 17,714 | 3,193 | 20,907 | 84.7% |
| 202 | Lambeth | 25,728 | 4,694 | 30,422 | 84.6% |
| 203 | Sutton | 14,598 | 2,809 | 17,407 | 83.9% |
| 204 | Birmingham | 27,759 | 5,352 | 33,111 | 83.8% |
| 205 | Brentwood | 9,754 | 1,886 | 11,640 | 83.8% |
| 206 | Coventry | 1,599 | 310 | 1,909 | 83.8% |
| 207 | Leicester | 448 | 90 | 538 | 83.3% |
| 208 | Caerphilly | 1,618 | 326 | 1,944 | 83.2% |
| 209 | Middlesbrough | 2,836 | 576 | 3,412 | 83.1% |
| 210 | Selby | 4,705 | 964 | 5,669 | 83.0% |
| 211 | Lewisham | 20,192 | 4,175 | 24,367 | 82.9% |
| 212 | Islington | 70,553 | 14,676 | 85,229 | 82.8% |
| 213 | Oadby & Wigston | 1,787 | 372 | 2,159 | 82.8% |
| 214 | Slough | 5,695 | 1,233 | 6,928 | 82.2% |
| 215 | Cardiff | 3,575 | 792 | 4,367 | 81.9% |
| 216 | Barnet | 43,696 | 9,719 | 53,415 | 81.8% |
| 217 | Guildford | 13,868 | 3,104 | 16,972 | 81.7% |
| 218 | Wyre | 329 | 76 | 405 | 81.2% |
| 219 | Bromley | 29,302 | 6,910 | 36,212 | 80.9% |
| 220 | Croydon | 31,066 | 7,369 | 38,435 | 80.8% |
| 221 | Pembrokeshire | 4,757 | 1,138 | 5,895 | 80.7% |
| 222 | Harrow | 10,160 | 2,440 | 12,600 | 80.6% |
| 223 | Kingston | 18,599 | 4,640 | 23,239 | 80.0% |
| 224 | Thurrock | 8,499 | 2,119 | 10,618 | 80.0% |
| 225 | Enfield | 23,804 | 6,022 | 29,826 | 79.8% |
| 226 | Southend-on-Sea | 466 | 121 | 587 | 79.4% |
| 227 | Barking & Dagenham | 7,231 | 1,891 | 9,122 | 79.3% |
| 228 | Havering | 18,406 | 4,807 | 23,213 | 79.3% |
| 229 | Waltham Forest | 16,831 | 4,447 | 21,278 | 79.1% |
| 230 | Redbridge | 26,179 | 6,970 | 33,149 | 79.0% |
| 231 | Hillingdon | 23,663 | 6,346 | 30,009 | 78.9% |
| 232 | Bradford | 21,098 | 5,689 | 26,787 | 78.8% |
| 233 | Greenwich | 17,355 | 4,862 | 22,217 | 78.1% |
| 234 | Brent | 24,723 | 7,808 | 32,531 | 76.0% |
| 235 | Maldon | 2,984 | 979 | 3,963 | 75.3% |
| 236 | East Hertfordshire | 12,121 | 4,442 | 16,563 | 73.2% |
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