Highest Planning Approval Rates by Council

Which UK councils approve the most planning applications? Rankings based on approval rates from the last 24 months.

Data covers the most recent 24-month period. Rankings are based on 200 councils that meet minimum data thresholds for statistical significance. Last updated 15 May 2026.

#	Council	Approval Rate	Approved	Refused	Total Decided
1	South Ayrshire	99%	287	2	290
2	Gosport	96.9%	93	2	96
3	City	96.8%	392	7	405
4	North Kesteven	96.7%	386	6	399
5	Western Isles	96.7%	87	3	90
6	Fermanagh and Omagh	96.6%	255	1	264
7	Neath	96.5%	191	2	198
8	Hartlepool	96.4%	106	1	110
9	Belfast	96.2%	328	6	341
10	Essex	96.2%	100	2	104
11	North Lanarkshire	95.8%	252	5	263
12	Tunbridge Wells	95.6%	587	18	614
13	Causeway and Glens	95.6%	408	9	427
14	Monmouthshire	95.5%	273	9	286
15	Fareham	95.2%	453	5	476
16	Lisburn and Castlereagh	95%	229	2	241
17	Lincoln	94.9%	205	6	216
18	Norwich	94.9%	296	8	312
19	Sedgemoor	94.7%	575	17	607
20	South Oxfordshire	94.7%	906	32	957
21	Renfrewshire	94.6%	140	3	148
22	Darlington	94.6%	139	7	147
23	Melton	94.4%	153	5	162
24	Derby	94.1%	225	8	239
25	Allerdale	94%	313	0	333
26	Redcar and Cleveland	94%	281	1	299
27	Derry and Strabane	93.8%	243	6	259
28	Anglesey	93.8%	167	11	178
29	Southwark	93.8%	786	26	838
30	Amber Valley	93.8%	347	11	370
31	Ards and North Down	93.4%	298	10	319
32	Adur and Worthing	93.2%	549	23	589
33	Cardiff	93.2%	480	20	515
34	Ryedale	93.2%	219	14	235
35	Mid Ulster	93.1%	149	3	160
36	Stevenage	93.1%	176	8	189
37	Moray	93.1%	135	2	145
38	East Lindsey	93.1%	389	15	418
39	New Forest (Park)	93%	384	14	413
40	Blaenau Gwent	92.9%	52	3	56
41	Old Oak Park Royal	92.9%	52	2	56
42	Vale of White Horse	92.8%	1179	56	1270
43	Loch Lomond	92.8%	64	1	69
44	Tower Hamlets	92.8%	320	25	345
45	Dumfries	92.7%	558	21	602
46	Canterbury	92.6%	705	22	761
47	St Helens	92.6%	237	13	256
48	Cheltenham	92.6%	374	9	404
49	Armagh Banbridge Craigavon	92.4%	170	8	184
50	Mid East Antrim	92.3%	193	6	209

Understanding Planning Approval Rates

Planning approval rates measure the percentage of decided applications that receive permission. The national average approval rate across England is typically between 85% and 90%, though individual councils can vary significantly from this figure.

High approval rates do not necessarily indicate lenient planning policies. Councils with excellent pre-application advice services often steer applicants away from unsuitable proposals before they enter the formal system, resulting in a higher proportion of approvable applications being submitted.

Conversely, councils in areas of high development pressure or environmental sensitivity may have lower approval rates due to stricter policy requirements. Conservation areas, Green Belt designations, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty all create additional constraints that can lead to higher refusal rates.

How Approval Rates Are Calculated

Approval rates are calculated as the number of permitted applications divided by the total number of decided applications (permitted, refused, and withdrawn). Only councils with at least 50 decided applications in the 24-month period are included to ensure meaningful comparisons.

All application types are included in these figures, from householder extensions to major developments. The mix of application types received by each council can influence overall approval rates, as some categories (such as householder applications) tend to have higher approval rates than others.