Prospective applicants hoping to boost their chances of approval may want to think twice about where they apply, with some councils proving far tougher than others to approve renovation work.
New data reveals Rotherham recorded the lowest approval rate of any local authority, granting just 66% of applications received. The London borough of Hounslow followed, approving 605 applications, around 69% of those submitted, while Windsor and Maidenhead also posted a 69% approval rate.
At the other end of the spectrum, five authorities approved every single application they received. Fareham, Rushmoor, Halton, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, and the City of London all recorded a 100% approval rate, with Fareham handling the highest volume, granting 316 applications in total.
| Local planning authority | Percentage granted (all) | Total granted (all) |
| Rotherham | 66% | 316 |
| Hounslow | 69% | 605 |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 69% | 761 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 71% | 312 |
| Oadby and Wigston | 73% | 153 |
| Gravesham | 73% | 280 |
| Blackpool | 74% | 99 |
| Epping Forest | 74% | 642 |
| Greenwich | 76% | 527 |
| Waltham Forest | 76% | 600 |
Needing a planning decision fast? Those in Nottingham are least likely to see a decision made
It’s not just the likelihood of approval that could put homeowners off applying for planning permission; how quickly councils make decisions can also vary widely, potentially delaying renovation plans.
Most planning applications are supposed to be decided within 8-13 weeks, depending on complexity. However, the report shows some authorities are far more likely to miss that deadline than others. Nottingham recorded the lowest rate of on-time decisions, with just 62% of applications processed within the target timeframe. Rochford in Essex followed with 73%, while the New Forest National Park Authority delivered 75% of decisions on time.
By contrast, 26 local authorities achieved a perfect record for timely decisions, including Stockport, Wokingham, Chichester and Southend-on-Sea. Interestingly, Rotherham also made this list, meaning that while applicants there may face lower approval odds, they are at least likely to get a swift response from the council.
You’re most likely to see your planning permission approved in the North East
When it comes to the overall regions, homeowners in London, on average, may be facing tougher odds when it comes to getting planning permission approved, despite submitting some of the highest volumes of applications in the country.
London recorded the second-highest number of approved householder planning applications in 2025, with 16,535 granted. However, when measured by success rate, the capital ranked as the worst-performing region, with just 85% of applications granted.
Meanwhile, homeowners in the North East enjoyed the best chances of success. The region posted the highest approval rate in the UK at 95%, giving applicants the strongest odds of securing planning permission.
Overall, the South East emerged as the UK’s home improvement hotspot, approving more than 23,000 applications, the highest total of any region.
| Region | Total decisions (all) | Total granted (all) | % Granted |
| South East | 25,846 | 23,397 | 91% |
| London | 19,517 | 16,535 | 85% |
| East of England | 16,364 | 14,620 | 89% |
| South West | 13,225 | 12,251 | 93% |
| North West | 11,567 | 10,564 | 91% |
| West Midlands | 9,904 | 9,041 | 91% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 9,214 | 8,243 | 89% |
| East Midlands | 8,423 | 7,771 | 92% |
| North East | 3,141 | 2,977 | 95% |
| National Parks | 1,666 | 1,573 | 94% |
Buckinghamshire has the most granted planning permission applications from local authorities
With the South East leading the country for most planning applications, Buckinghamshire emerged as the UK’s most active local authority for home improvements, granting 2,234 permissions in 2025, more than any other area. With average house prices around £490,000, according to Rightmove, many homeowners appear to be opting to renovate rather than move amid affordability pressures in the housing market.
Birmingham ranked second, approving 1,654 applications, despite receiving more than 500 fewer submissions overall, suggesting a comparatively strong success rate. Leeds followed closely in third place with 1,651 approvals in the Yorkshire and Humber region, just three fewer than Birmingham.
North Yorkshire and Wiltshire rounded out the top five, with 1,640 and 1,414 approvals, respectively, highlighting strong demand for home improvement projects across both urban and rural areas of England.
Two areas in the North East granted zero applications last year: both Hartlepool Development Corporation and Middlesbrough Development Corporation didn’t approve any planning applications, while the City of London approved one.
