League table · Planning Inspectorate

Appeal overturn rates: which councils get reversed?

When a refusal goes to appeal, how often does the Planning Inspectorate side with the applicant? Every council ranked on real PINS casework — the single best read on whether a refusal is worth fighting.

National overturn rate

32.1%

of decided appeals are allowed — the council's decision overturned.

Fewest overturned Most overturned Most appeals

HM Planning Inspectorate casework data (OGL) · appeals decided Jun 2021 – Apr 2026. Overturn rate = appeals allowed ÷ appeals decided. Councils with fewer than 20 decided appeals aren't listed — too few to be meaningful.

#	Council	Appeals	Decided	Allowed	Overturned
1	North Kesteven District Council	100	88	13	14.8%
2	East Lindsey District Council	109	103	16	15.5%
3	Plymouth City Council	140	137	23	16.8%
4	Boston Borough Council	50	35	6	17.1%
5	Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council	41	34	6	17.6%
6	Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council	302	251	45	17.9%
7	Breckland Council	204	189	35	18.5%
8	Yorkshire Dales	60	53	10	18.9%
9	Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council	200	164	31	18.9%
10	Northampton Borough Council *	22	21	4	19.1%
11	New Forest District Council	149	133	26	19.6%
12	Eastleigh Borough Council	138	124	25	20.2%
13	Tamworth Borough Council	31	29	6	20.7%
14	Broadland District Council	129	106	22	20.8%
15	Lancaster City Council	230	192	40	20.8%
16	Scarborough Borough Council *	45	38	8	21.1%
17	Blaby District Council	99	84	18	21.4%
18	Cannock Chase District Council	48	42	9	21.4%
19	Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council	74	60	13	21.7%
20	Norwich City Council	73	60	13	21.7%
21	Peterborough City Council	188	177	39	22.0%
22	North Norfolk District Council	198	157	35	22.3%
23	Worthing Borough Council	97	94	21	22.3%
24	Havant Borough Council	68	58	13	22.4%
25	East Riding of Yorkshire Council	420	358	81	22.6%
26	South Ribble Borough Council	60	53	12	22.6%
27	Durham County Council	306	251	57	22.7%
28	Eden District Council *	30	26	6	23.1%
29	London Borough of Newham	426	300	70	23.3%
30	Oadby and Wigston Borough Council	47	47	11	23.4%
31	Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *	310	260	61	23.5%
32	Erewash Borough Council	57	51	12	23.5%
33	West Lindsey District Council	107	102	24	23.5%
34	Great Yarmouth Borough Council	88	85	20	23.5%
35	Rushmoor Borough Council	38	38	9	23.7%
36	Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council	166	146	35	24.0%
37	Darlington Borough Council	54	50	12	24.0%
38	Selby District Council *	158	99	24	24.2%
39	Mansfield District Council	34	33	8	24.2%
40	Preston City Council	89	82	20	24.4%
41	Ashford Borough Council	285	262	64	24.4%
42	Sedgemoor District Council *	67	57	14	24.6%
43	London Borough of Southwark	313	244	60	24.6%
44	Rother District Council	309	276	68	24.6%
45	Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council	155	142	35	24.6%
46	London Borough of Croydon	1,068	1,022	253	24.8%
47	Chelmsford Borough Council	372	339	84	24.8%
48	Horsham District Council	410	343	85	24.8%
49	North Devon District Council	134	121	30	24.8%
50	Chesterfield Borough Council	55	52	13	25.0%
51	North Somerset Council	272	226	57	25.2%
52	Cotswold District Council	218	190	48	25.3%
53	Mid Suffolk District Council	323	284	72	25.4%
54	St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council	74	67	17	25.4%
55	City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council	549	436	111	25.5%
56	Hartlepool Borough Council *	65	51	13	25.5%
57	Bury Metropolitan Borough Council	124	109	28	25.7%
58	London Borough of Tower Hamlets	356	311	80	25.7%
59	Thanet District Council	189	171	44	25.7%
60	Runnymede Borough Council	176	147	38	25.9%
61	Mid Sussex District Council	255	233	61	26.2%
62	Colchester Borough Council	383	324	85	26.2%
63	Gloucester City Council	85	80	21	26.3%
64	Gravesham Borough Council	304	280	74	26.4%
65	Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council	211	185	49	26.5%
66	Cheltenham Borough Council	107	98	26	26.5%
67	London Borough of Lewisham	499	426	113	26.5%
68	London Borough of Islington	516	467	124	26.6%
69	Northumberland County Council	397	346	92	26.6%
70	East Suffolk	317	297	79	26.6%
71	Lake District	232	124	33	26.6%
72	Central Bedfordshire	627	526	140	26.6%
73	Southampton City Council	156	120	32	26.7%
74	Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council	228	202	54	26.7%
75	London Borough of Wandsworth	485	419	112	26.7%
76	Tendring District Council	290	276	74	26.8%
77	Cambridge City Council	185	175	47	26.9%
78	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council	92	78	21	26.9%
79	Bath and North East Somerset Council	282	245	66	26.9%
80	Babergh District Council	235	219	59	26.9%
81	South Norfolk District Council	153	137	37	27.0%
82	London Borough of Camden	526	433	117	27.0%
83	Broxbourne Borough Council	187	159	43	27.0%
84	Kingston-Upon-Hull City Council	101	92	25	27.2%
85	West Suffolk	218	202	55	27.2%
86	Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council	211	176	48	27.3%
87	Winchester City Council	191	161	44	27.3%
88	Canterbury City Council	236	212	58	27.4%
89	Wyre Borough Council	127	106	29	27.4%
90	Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council	341	318	87	27.4%
91	Huntingdonshire District Council	207	197	54	27.4%
92	West Oxfordshire District Council	235	207	57	27.5%
93	City of York Council	294	254	70	27.6%
94	Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council	243	228	63	27.6%
95	Kirklees Metropolitan Council	489	401	111	27.7%
96	Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council	154	148	41	27.7%
97	Folkestone and Hythe District Council	205	187	52	27.8%
98	Leeds City Council	1,122	1,007	281	27.9%
99	Waltham Forest London Borough Council	515	462	129	27.9%
100	London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council	471	383	107	27.9%
101	Braintree District Council	417	390	109	28.0%
102	King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council	295	257	72	28.0%
103	Salford City Council	114	107	30	28.0%
104	Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead	469	419	118	28.2%
105	Ribble Valley Borough Council	208	188	53	28.2%
106	Carlisle City Council *	43	39	11	28.2%
107	Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council	155	138	39	28.3%
108	Dartford Borough Council	231	201	57	28.4%
109	Epsom and Ewell Borough Council	181	176	50	28.4%
110	North Hertfordshire District Council	146	130	37	28.5%
111	North East Derbyshire District Council	159	140	40	28.6%
112	London Borough of Merton	260	243	70	28.8%
113	Dorset	723	659	190	28.8%
114	Dover District Council	160	149	43	28.9%
115	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	816	758	219	28.9%
116	London Borough of Redbridge	570	515	149	28.9%
117	Rushcliffe Borough Council	179	165	48	29.1%
118	South Holland District Council	132	116	34	29.3%
119	Herefordshire Council	247	208	61	29.3%
120	London Borough of Ealing	648	467	137	29.3%
121	Gedling Borough Council	127	109	32	29.4%
122	North Tyneside Council	83	78	23	29.5%
123	Mole Valley District Council	393	349	103	29.5%
124	Spelthorne Borough Council	248	220	65	29.5%
125	Shropshire County Council	498	449	133	29.6%
126	City of London Council	54	54	16	29.6%
127	Middlesbrough Council *	168	145	43	29.7%
128	Teignbridge District Council	282	266	79	29.7%
129	Rutland County Council	119	110	33	30.0%
130	Exeter City Council	173	160	48	30.0%
131	Lichfield District Council	106	100	30	30.0%
132	Leicester City Council	277	226	68	30.1%
133	Thurrock Borough Council	271	252	76	30.2%
134	South Downs	359	311	94	30.2%
135	North Warwickshire Borough Council	94	76	23	30.3%
136	City of Lincoln Council	34	33	10	30.3%
137	Forest of Dean District Council	171	145	44	30.3%
138	London Borough of Lambeth	604	537	163	30.3%
139	Luton Borough Council	411	372	113	30.4%
140	Test Valley Borough Council	213	174	53	30.5%
141	Bedford Borough Council	481	400	122	30.5%
142	Crawley Borough Council	120	108	33	30.6%
143	North York Moors	71	62	19	30.6%
144	Milton Keynes Council	240	212	65	30.7%
145	Swindon Borough Council	169	163	50	30.7%
146	Wealden District Council	549	489	150	30.7%
147	Uttlesford District Council	552	525	161	30.7%
148	Sunderland City Council	118	101	31	30.7%
149	Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council	157	127	39	30.7%
150	Torridge District Council	154	130	40	30.8%
151	Ashfield District Council	116	107	33	30.8%
152	Bassetlaw District Council	168	162	50	30.9%
153	Brentwood Borough Council	245	220	68	30.9%
154	Brighton and Hove City Council	455	404	125	30.9%
155	Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council	206	155	48	31.0%
156	Blackpool Borough Council	151	129	40	31.0%
157	Wakefield Metropolitan District Council	309	245	76	31.0%
158	Broads	42	29	9	31.0%
159	Somerset West and Taunton *	128	103	32	31.1%
160	Dacorum Borough Council	336	299	93	31.1%
161	London Borough of Bexley	431	380	119	31.3%
162	Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council	183	169	53	31.4%
163	Tunbridge Wells Borough Council	182	156	49	31.4%
164	Wokingham Borough Council	283	226	71	31.4%
165	Oxford City Council	236	210	66	31.4%
166	Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council	100	92	29	31.5%
167	Sheffield City Council	440	373	118	31.6%
168	North East Lincolnshire Council	64	60	19	31.7%
169	Adur District Council	60	60	19	31.7%
170	Reading Borough Council	165	142	45	31.7%
171	Woking Borough Council	247	224	71	31.7%
172	West Devon Borough Council	192	170	54	31.8%
173	Sevenoaks District Council	391	340	108	31.8%
174	Welwyn Hatfield Council	238	220	70	31.8%
175	Derby City Council	125	119	38	31.9%
176	Gosport Borough Council	26	25	8	32.0%
177	Harborough District Council	182	153	49	32.0%
178	Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council	302	284	91	32.0%
179	South Staffordshire District Council	225	186	60	32.3%
180	Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area *	397	355	115	32.4%
181	South Somerset District Council *	81	71	23	32.4%
182	London Borough of Haringey	519	410	133	32.4%
183	London Borough of Enfield	665	613	199	32.5%
184	East Devon District Council	360	326	106	32.5%
185	Medway Council	256	223	73	32.7%
186	Fylde Borough Council	61	58	19	32.8%
187	Vale of White Horse District Council	168	146	48	32.9%
188	Newark & Sherwood District Council	292	215	71	33.0%
189	Stroud District Council	288	263	87	33.1%
190	South Kesteven District Council	177	169	56	33.1%
191	Tewkesbury Borough Council	224	178	59	33.1%
192	Harrogate Borough Council *	223	205	68	33.2%
193	Reigate and Banstead Borough Council	378	340	113	33.2%
194	Birmingham City Council	781	692	230	33.2%
195	London Borough of Sutton	384	361	120	33.2%
196	London Borough of Havering	947	766	255	33.3%
197	London Borough of Bromley	1,157	1,066	355	33.3%
198	Southend-on-Sea City Council	349	321	107	33.3%
199	East Northamptonshire District Council *	40	36	12	33.3%
200	Ipswich Borough Council	91	87	29	33.3%
201	South Tyneside Council	63	54	18	33.3%
202	West Lancashire District Council	202	185	62	33.5%
203	Stratford-on-Avon District Council	368	340	114	33.5%
204	South Cambridgeshire District Council	384	289	97	33.6%
205	St Albans City Council	379	367	124	33.8%
206	Burnley Borough Council	79	71	24	33.8%
207	Cornwall Council	1,186	972	329	33.9%
208	Warrington Borough Council	285	242	82	33.9%
209	Swale Borough Council	283	253	86	34.0%
210	Coventry City Council	351	338	115	34.0%
211	South Lakeland District Council *	60	47	16	34.0%
212	Lewes District Council	131	126	43	34.1%
213	Chichester District Council	337	269	92	34.2%
214	Rossendale Borough Council	140	125	43	34.4%
215	Dartmoor	133	119	41	34.4%
216	Bracknell Forest Borough Council	153	145	50	34.5%
217	Watford Borough Council	221	200	69	34.5%
218	Kettering Borough Council *	33	26	9	34.6%
219	East Staffordshire Borough Council	85	78	27	34.6%
220	Waverley Borough Council	481	430	149	34.6%
221	Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council	47	46	16	34.8%
222	North West Leicestershire District Council	96	89	31	34.8%
223	Arun District Council	229	201	70	34.8%
224	Manchester City Council	408	344	120	34.9%
225	Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council	148	129	45	34.9%
226	Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council	113	106	37	34.9%
227	City of Westminster Council	623	535	187	34.9%
228	Castle Point Borough Council	150	137	48	35.0%
229	Torbay Council	300	271	95	35.1%
230	North Lincolnshire Council	222	182	64	35.2%
231	East Hertfordshire District Council	564	533	188	35.3%
232	Cheshire West and Chester	545	462	163	35.3%
233	Redditch Borough Council	37	34	12	35.3%
234	Bristol City Council	697	643	227	35.3%
235	Slough Borough Council	243	167	59	35.3%
236	Charnwood Borough Council	171	155	55	35.5%
237	London Borough of Hillingdon	961	810	289	35.7%
238	London Borough of Brent	1,128	764	273	35.7%
239	Peak District	183	173	62	35.8%
240	High Peak Borough Council	123	117	42	35.9%
241	Buckinghamshire Council - South Bucks Area *	280	220	79	35.9%
242	Epping Forest District Council	740	651	234	35.9%
243	Guildford Borough Council	531	467	168	36.0%
244	Hastings Borough Council	105	100	36	36.0%
245	Worcester City Council	108	97	35	36.1%
246	Cheshire East	744	670	242	36.1%
247	Isle of Wight Council	252	235	85	36.2%
248	Rugby Borough Council	136	105	38	36.2%
249	Three Rivers District Council	254	232	84	36.2%
250	London Borough of Harrow	682	607	220	36.2%
251	Staffordshire Moorlands District Council	207	195	71	36.4%
252	Pendle Borough Council	132	107	39	36.4%
253	Derbyshire Dales District Council	165	142	52	36.6%
254	East Cambridgeshire District Council	192	172	63	36.6%
255	Nottingham City Council	179	168	62	36.9%
256	Harlow District Council	111	100	37	37.0%
257	Hart District Council	275	254	94	37.0%
258	Royal Borough of Greenwich	639	613	227	37.0%
259	Wiltshire Council	672	594	220	37.0%
260	Warwick District Council	287	267	99	37.1%
261	Fareham Borough Council	83	70	26	37.1%
262	Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council	239	207	77	37.2%
263	Elmbridge Borough Council	548	507	189	37.3%
264	Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council	72	67	25	37.3%
265	Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames	413	393	147	37.4%
266	East Hampshire District Council	175	139	52	37.4%
267	West Berkshire District Council	248	219	82	37.4%
268	Maidstone Borough Council	478	386	145	37.6%
269	Surrey Heath Borough Council	282	258	97	37.6%
270	London Borough of Barnet	1,481	1,217	458	37.6%
271	South Oxfordshire District Council	270	233	88	37.8%
272	Eastbourne Borough Council	69	63	24	38.1%
273	Richmond Upon Thames London Borough Council	687	627	239	38.1%
274	Halton Borough Council	38	34	13	38.2%
275	South Hams District Council	294	263	101	38.4%
276	Amber Valley Borough Council	124	104	40	38.5%
277	Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area *	547	460	178	38.7%
278	Telford and Wrekin Council	161	108	42	38.9%
279	Craven District Council *	60	54	21	38.9%
280	Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council	223	203	79	38.9%
281	Allerdale Borough Council *	25	23	9	39.1%
282	Malvern Hills District Council	292	258	101	39.1%
283	Stoke-on-Trent City Council	90	86	34	39.5%
284	Mid Devon District Council	106	91	36	39.6%
285	Wolverhampton City Council	156	136	54	39.7%
286	Tandridge District Council	417	367	146	39.8%
287	Bromsgrove District Council	192	173	69	39.9%
288	South Gloucestershire Council	450	380	152	40.0%
289	Fenland District Council	83	75	30	40.0%
290	Hyndburn Borough Council	65	55	22	40.0%
291	Maldon District Council	391	358	144	40.2%
292	Hambleton District Council *	109	99	40	40.4%
293	Basildon District Council	449	311	126	40.5%
294	Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council	214	195	79	40.5%
295	Chorley Borough Council	116	101	41	40.6%
296	Bolsover District Council	37	32	13	40.6%
297	Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council	192	166	68	41.0%
298	Stafford Borough Council	140	133	55	41.3%
299	London Borough of Hounslow	711	666	276	41.4%
300	London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham	367	316	131	41.5%
301	Wyre Forest District Council	119	100	42	42.0%
302	Cherwell District Council	260	235	99	42.1%
303	London Borough of Hackney	739	592	252	42.6%
304	Liverpool City Council	564	546	234	42.9%
305	Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea	450	389	168	43.2%
306	Portsmouth City Council	193	178	77	43.3%
307	Hertsmere Borough Council	206	186	81	43.5%
308	South Derbyshire District Council	85	77	34	44.2%
309	Wychavon District Council	378	346	153	44.2%
310	New Forest	126	98	44	44.9%
311	Rochford District Council	200	164	74	45.1%
312	Mendip District Council *	90	87	40	46.0%
313	Melton Borough Council	66	59	28	47.5%
314	Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council	67	63	31	49.2%
315	Broxtowe Borough Council	110	97	51	52.6%
316	Stevenage Borough Council	28	22	12	54.5%
317	Exmoor	30	27	15	55.6%

Paid plans add each council's appeal trend, written-reps vs hearing vs inquiry mix, and the appeal agents with the best win rates — the consultants who actually get refusals reversed.

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