What is the success rate of planning appeals in England?

Around 32.0% of planning appeals decided by the Planning Inspectorate are allowed, meaning the council's refusal is overturned. The rate varies widely by council — this table ranks every English authority on its own record.

Is an appeal success rate the same as an overturn rate?

Yes — they are the same figure seen from either side. An appeal that succeeds is one the Planning Inspectorate allows, which overturns the council's decision. This table uses appeals allowed as a share of appeals decided.

Does this cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Yes — all four nations. Appeals are decided by a different body in each, so we ingest each one: the Planning Inspectorate for England, the Division for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) for Scotland's 32 councils, Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), which took Welsh casework from the Inspectorate in 2021, for all 22 Welsh councils, and the Planning Appeals Commission for Northern Ireland's 11. Note that appeals decided before April 2015 in Northern Ireland carry no council: planning sat with the Department of the Environment until it transferred to the councils.

League table · Planning Inspectorate

Planning appeal success rates: which councils get overturned?

When a refusal goes to appeal, how often does the appeal succeed? Every UK council ranked on real appeal casework — the appeal success rate, or overturn rate, is the single best read on whether a refusal is worth fighting. The whole UK is covered: England from the Planning Inspectorate, Scotland from the Division for Planning and Environmental Appeals, Wales from Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, and Northern Ireland from the Planning Appeals Commission.

National overturn rate

32.0%

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

Fewest overturned Most overturned Most appeals

HM Planning Inspectorate casework data (OGL) · appeals decided Sep 2021 – Aug 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	East Lothian Council	64	61	7	11.5%
2	Boston Borough Council	49	36	5	13.9%
3	East Lindsey District Council	112	106	16	15.1%
4	Denbighshire County Council	30	25	4	16.0%
5	Broadland District Council	123	100	17	17.0%
6	Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council	50	41	7	17.1%
7	Mid and East Antrim	87	76	13	17.1%
8	Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council	200	165	29	17.6%
9	North Kesteven District Council	97	85	15	17.6%
10	Plymouth City Council	138	135	24	17.8%
11	Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council	298	250	45	18.0%
12	Ceredigion County Council	54	50	9	18.0%
13	Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council	40	33	6	18.2%
14	Glasgow City Council	306	303	56	18.5%
15	Breckland Council	198	184	35	19.0%
16	Cannock Chase District Council	48	42	8	19.1%
17	New Forest District Council	151	136	26	19.1%
18	East Ayrshire Council	27	26	5	19.2%
19	Vale of Glamorgan Council	105	97	19	19.6%
20	Eastleigh Borough Council	135	121	24	19.8%
21	Eden District Council *	29	25	5	20.0%
22	Yorkshire Dales	62	55	11	20.0%
23	Havant Borough Council	67	59	12	20.3%
24	Peterborough City Council	192	181	37	20.4%
25	Norwich City Council	75	63	13	20.6%
26	Tamworth Borough Council	31	29	6	20.7%
27	Mansfield District Council	34	33	7	21.2%
28	Fermanagh and Omagh	66	37	8	21.6%
29	Orkney Islands Council	26	23	5	21.7%
30	Lancaster City Council	232	193	42	21.8%
31	Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council	73	59	13	22.0%
32	North Norfolk District Council	192	153	34	22.2%
33	Scarborough Borough Council *	43	36	8	22.2%
34	North Lanarkshire Council	38	36	8	22.2%
35	City of Edinburgh Council	1,022	1,000	223	22.3%
36	West Lindsey District Council	108	103	23	22.3%
37	Worthing Borough Council	92	89	20	22.5%
38	East Riding of Yorkshire Council	417	357	81	22.7%
39	South Ribble Borough Council	59	52	12	23.1%
40	Great Yarmouth Borough Council	85	78	18	23.1%
41	St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council	72	65	15	23.1%
42	Stirling Council	26	26	6	23.1%
43	Durham County Council	308	257	60	23.4%
44	Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority	43	34	8	23.5%
45	Ashford Borough Council	280	259	61	23.5%
46	Selby District Council *	147	89	21	23.6%
47	Preston City Council	87	80	19	23.8%
48	London Borough of Newham	422	292	70	24.0%
49	Buckinghamshire Council - Chiltern Area *	299	250	60	24.0%
50	Oadby and Wigston Borough Council	50	50	12	24.0%
51	Runnymede Borough Council	179	150	36	24.0%
52	Blaby District Council	102	83	20	24.1%
53	London Borough of Croydon	1,055	1,008	244	24.2%
54	Horsham District Council	405	342	83	24.3%
55	Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council	163	140	34	24.3%
56	Rushmoor Borough Council	37	37	9	24.3%
57	Rother District Council	323	282	69	24.5%
58	Erewash Borough Council	55	49	12	24.5%
59	Torfaen County Borough Council	54	49	12	24.5%
60	Carmarthenshire County Council	159	118	29	24.6%
61	Lisburn and Castlereagh	122	101	25	24.8%
62	Sedgemoor District Council *	62	52	13	25.0%
63	London Borough of Southwark	317	250	63	25.2%
64	Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council	154	142	36	25.4%
65	Cheltenham Borough Council	107	98	25	25.5%
66	Monmouthshire County Council	50	39	10	25.6%
67	East Suffolk	326	300	77	25.7%
68	Mid Suffolk District Council	325	288	74	25.7%
69	London Borough of Tower Hamlets	337	288	74	25.7%
70	Salford City Council	112	105	27	25.7%
71	Northumberland County Council	399	349	90	25.8%
72	North Somerset Council	270	228	59	25.9%
73	Colchester Borough Council	384	328	85	25.9%
74	Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council	30	27	7	25.9%
75	Eryri National Park Authority	30	27	7	25.9%
76	Hartlepool Borough Council *	64	50	13	26.0%
77	Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council	203	180	47	26.1%
78	Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council	154	149	39	26.2%
79	Darlington Borough Council	61	57	15	26.3%
80	Carlisle City Council *	42	38	10	26.3%
81	City of Lincoln Council	39	38	10	26.3%
82	North Devon District Council	139	121	32	26.5%
83	Chelmsford Borough Council	358	325	86	26.5%
84	Conwy County Borough Council	56	49	13	26.5%
85	Cotswold District Council	218	192	51	26.6%
86	Gloucester City Council	83	79	21	26.6%
87	Lake District	233	124	33	26.6%
88	Southampton City Council	150	120	32	26.7%
89	Mid Sussex District Council	247	225	60	26.7%
90	West Oxfordshire District Council	235	206	55	26.7%
91	City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council	538	426	114	26.8%
92	Tendring District Council	283	269	72	26.8%
93	Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council	209	175	47	26.9%
94	London Borough of Islington	506	458	123	26.9%
95	Gravesham Borough Council	311	286	77	26.9%
96	Epsom and Ewell Borough Council	189	182	49	26.9%
97	Folkestone and Hythe District Council	211	193	52	26.9%
98	Central Bedfordshire	628	530	143	27.0%
99	London Borough of Wandsworth	482	418	113	27.0%
100	Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council	233	207	56	27.1%
101	Bury Metropolitan Borough Council	122	107	29	27.1%
102	Kirklees Metropolitan Council	476	389	106	27.3%
103	Chesterfield Borough Council	59	55	15	27.3%
104	Gosport Borough Council	23	22	6	27.3%
105	Thanet District Council	185	165	45	27.3%
106	Wyre Borough Council	126	106	29	27.4%
107	London Borough of Lewisham	473	402	110	27.4%
108	Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council	339	314	86	27.4%
109	Dover District Council	156	146	40	27.4%
110	Braintree District Council	408	383	105	27.4%
111	West Suffolk	216	200	55	27.5%
112	Huntingdonshire District Council	206	196	54	27.6%
113	Winchester City Council	186	156	43	27.6%
114	Broads	41	29	8	27.6%
115	Babergh District Council	236	221	61	27.6%
116	Kingston-Upon-Hull City Council	105	94	26	27.7%
117	London Borough of Camden	524	432	120	27.8%
118	Ards and North Down	83	54	15	27.8%
119	Cambridge City Council	179	169	47	27.8%
120	Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council	241	226	63	27.9%
121	Newry Mourne and Down	219	165	46	27.9%
122	Waltham Forest London Borough Council	517	466	130	27.9%
123	North Hertfordshire District Council	144	129	36	27.9%
124	London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council	454	368	103	28.0%
125	Leeds City Council	1,106	991	278	28.1%
126	City and County of Swansea Council	313	285	80	28.1%
127	London Borough of Redbridge	575	516	145	28.1%
128	Broxbourne Borough Council	184	156	44	28.2%
129	Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council	92	78	22	28.2%
130	Dorset	698	641	181	28.2%
131	London Borough of Merton	236	219	62	28.3%
132	Dartford Borough Council	238	208	59	28.4%
133	Bridgend County Borough Council	88	74	21	28.4%
134	Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead	465	415	118	28.4%
135	South Norfolk District Council	134	130	37	28.5%
136	Canterbury City Council	229	203	58	28.6%
137	Bath and North East Somerset Council	285	244	70	28.7%
138	City of York Council	302	260	75	28.8%
139	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	794	742	216	29.1%
140	Lichfield District Council	109	103	30	29.1%
141	King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council	293	257	75	29.2%
142	Milton Keynes Council	234	209	61	29.2%
143	North East Derbyshire District Council	152	133	39	29.3%
144	North Tyneside Council	79	75	22	29.3%
145	London Borough of Ealing	633	459	135	29.4%
146	Brighton and Hove City Council	446	401	118	29.4%
147	Teignbridge District Council	277	261	77	29.5%
148	Leicester City Council	279	227	67	29.5%
149	Shropshire County Council	490	443	131	29.6%
150	South Holland District Council	129	115	34	29.6%
151	Luton Borough Council	387	355	105	29.6%
152	Newport City Council	148	125	37	29.6%
153	Ribble Valley Borough Council	212	189	56	29.6%
154	Brentwood Borough Council	229	209	62	29.7%
155	Thurrock Borough Council	261	242	72	29.8%
156	Flintshire County Council	102	94	28	29.8%
157	Ashfield District Council	114	104	31	29.8%
158	Adur District Council	57	57	17	29.8%
159	Gedling Borough Council	125	107	32	29.9%
160	Mole Valley District Council	394	351	105	29.9%
161	Torridge District Council	163	137	41	29.9%
162	Dacorum Borough Council	329	293	88	30.0%
163	Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council	102	93	28	30.1%
164	Herefordshire Council	238	199	60	30.1%
165	Uttlesford District Council	536	510	154	30.2%
166	Vale of White Horse District Council	162	139	42	30.2%
167	Middlesbrough Council *	169	145	44	30.3%
168	Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council	154	125	38	30.4%
169	Wealden District Council	546	486	148	30.4%
170	London Borough of Bexley	407	354	108	30.5%
171	South Downs	358	308	94	30.5%
172	Reading Borough Council	163	144	44	30.6%
173	Burnley Borough Council	80	72	22	30.6%
174	Exeter City Council	170	157	48	30.6%
175	Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council	165	147	45	30.6%
176	Oxford City Council	232	212	65	30.7%
177	City of London Council	52	52	16	30.8%
178	Rutland County Council	116	107	33	30.8%
179	Bassetlaw District Council	168	162	50	30.9%
180	London Borough of Lambeth	608	534	165	30.9%
181	Harborough District Council	182	152	47	30.9%
182	Somerset West and Taunton *	113	97	30	30.9%
183	Blackpool Borough Council	154	129	40	31.0%
184	Test Valley Borough Council	214	177	55	31.1%
185	Derby City Council	128	122	38	31.1%
186	Welwyn Hatfield Council	231	215	67	31.2%
187	Sunderland City Council	110	96	30	31.3%
188	Wrexham County Borough Council	74	64	20	31.3%
189	Pembrokeshire County Council	70	48	15	31.3%
190	Powys County Council	55	48	15	31.3%
191	Bedford Borough Council	473	392	123	31.4%
192	Sevenoaks District Council	391	341	107	31.4%
193	Forest of Dean District Council	166	140	44	31.4%
194	Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council	172	159	50	31.4%
195	Spelthorne Borough Council	244	216	68	31.5%
196	Tunbridge Wells Borough Council	177	152	48	31.6%
197	London Borough of Haringey	507	405	128	31.6%
198	Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area *	383	338	107	31.7%
199	North York Moors	69	60	19	31.7%
200	Sheffield City Council	436	369	117	31.7%
201	Cardiff Council	168	145	46	31.7%
202	Crawley Borough Council	116	104	33	31.7%
203	London Borough of Enfield	647	595	189	31.8%
204	Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council	303	283	90	31.8%
205	West Devon Borough Council	185	163	52	31.9%
206	Wakefield Metropolitan District Council	307	240	77	32.1%
207	Rushcliffe Borough Council	182	168	54	32.1%
208	Woking Borough Council	247	224	72	32.1%
209	Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council	196	149	48	32.2%
210	Swindon Borough Council	159	152	49	32.2%
211	North East Lincolnshire Council	69	65	21	32.3%
212	Newark & Sherwood District Council	271	198	64	32.3%
213	Reigate and Banstead Borough Council	366	329	107	32.5%
214	East Devon District Council	362	327	107	32.7%
215	Rossendale Borough Council	131	119	39	32.8%
216	London Borough of Havering	969	766	251	32.8%
217	North Warwickshire Borough Council	91	73	24	32.9%
218	Wokingham Borough Council	268	215	71	33.0%
219	Swale Borough Council	277	248	82	33.1%
220	St Albans City Council	381	372	123	33.1%
221	Dartmoor	135	121	40	33.1%
222	South Kesteven District Council	180	172	57	33.1%
223	Harrogate Borough Council *	204	187	62	33.2%
224	Birmingham City Council	766	684	227	33.2%
225	London Borough of Bromley	1,172	1,070	356	33.3%
226	Medway Council	255	222	74	33.3%
227	South Somerset District Council *	76	66	22	33.3%
228	Ipswich Borough Council	91	87	29	33.3%
229	Angus Council	21	21	7	33.3%
230	Torbay Council	293	266	89	33.5%
231	West Lancashire District Council	203	188	63	33.5%
232	North Lincolnshire Council	215	176	59	33.5%
233	Slough Borough Council	241	169	57	33.7%
234	Southend-on-Sea City Council	332	305	103	33.8%
235	South Cambridgeshire District Council	385	290	98	33.8%
236	Bracknell Forest Borough Council	152	142	48	33.8%
237	Stratford-on-Avon District Council	375	346	117	33.8%
238	London Borough of Sutton	370	346	117	33.8%
239	Waverley Borough Council	485	434	147	33.9%
240	Tewkesbury Borough Council	228	177	60	33.9%
241	South Tyneside Council	59	50	17	34.0%
242	Arun District Council	223	194	66	34.0%
243	South Staffordshire District Council	226	182	62	34.1%
244	Stroud District Council	279	255	87	34.1%
245	Warrington Borough Council	286	243	83	34.2%
246	Causeway Coast and Glens	142	76	26	34.2%
247	Rugby Borough Council	139	107	37	34.6%
248	East Northamptonshire District Council *	28	26	9	34.6%
249	Chichester District Council	328	260	90	34.6%
250	Cornwall Council	1,185	966	335	34.7%
251	East Hertfordshire District Council	568	533	185	34.7%
252	South Lakeland District Council *	58	46	16	34.8%
253	Cheshire West and Chester	539	457	159	34.8%
254	Coventry City Council	356	342	119	34.8%
255	Eastbourne Borough Council	72	66	23	34.8%
256	Antrim and Newtownabbey	154	132	46	34.8%
257	Watford Borough Council	213	192	67	34.9%
258	Lewes District Council	131	126	44	34.9%
259	Cheshire East	741	670	235	35.1%
260	London Borough of Brent	1,110	749	263	35.1%
261	London Borough of Hillingdon	922	779	274	35.2%
262	Redditch Borough Council	37	34	12	35.3%
263	Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council	49	48	17	35.4%
264	Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council	154	135	48	35.6%
265	Guildford Borough Council	536	472	168	35.6%
266	North West Leicestershire District Council	94	87	31	35.6%
267	Bristol City Council	681	629	225	35.8%
268	Fareham Borough Council	81	67	24	35.8%
269	South Lanarkshire Council	69	67	24	35.8%
270	City of Westminster Council	630	541	194	35.9%
271	Charnwood Borough Council	169	153	55	35.9%
272	Isle of Anglesey County Council	56	50	18	36.0%
273	Elmbridge Borough Council	553	513	185	36.1%
274	Three Rivers District Council	252	230	83	36.1%
275	Worcester City Council	106	94	34	36.2%
276	Epping Forest District Council	739	656	238	36.3%
277	Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council	121	113	41	36.3%
278	High Peak Borough Council	130	124	45	36.3%
279	Castle Point Borough Council	156	143	52	36.4%
280	Fylde Borough Council	57	55	20	36.4%
281	Dumfries and Galloway Council	44	44	16	36.4%
282	London Borough of Harrow	672	601	219	36.4%
283	Fife Council	89	85	31	36.5%
284	Amber Valley Borough Council	95	93	34	36.6%
285	East Cambridgeshire District Council	183	164	60	36.6%
286	Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council	244	213	78	36.6%
287	Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council	65	60	22	36.7%
288	Pendle Borough Council	135	109	40	36.7%
289	Peak District	176	166	61	36.8%
290	Wiltshire Council	674	593	218	36.8%
291	East Staffordshire Borough Council	83	76	28	36.8%
292	Warwick District Council	291	271	100	36.9%
293	Craven District Council *	50	46	17	37.0%
294	West Berkshire District Council	243	216	80	37.0%
295	Royal Borough of Greenwich	642	615	228	37.1%
296	Isle of Wight Council	251	231	86	37.2%
297	East Hampshire District Council	173	137	51	37.2%
298	Caerphilly County Borough Council	156	139	52	37.4%
299	Bolsover District Council	39	32	12	37.5%
300	London Borough of Barnet	1,490	1,217	458	37.6%
301	Nottingham City Council	173	162	61	37.6%
302	South Hams District Council	291	260	98	37.7%
303	Staffordshire Moorlands District Council	202	185	70	37.8%
304	Maidstone Borough Council	475	383	145	37.9%
305	Mid Devon District Council	109	95	36	37.9%
306	Telford and Wrekin Council	158	108	41	38.0%
307	Buckinghamshire Council - South Bucks Area *	279	216	82	38.0%
308	Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames	414	395	150	38.0%
309	Richmond Upon Thames London Borough Council	669	608	231	38.0%
310	Hart District Council	273	252	96	38.1%
311	East Renfrewshire Council	21	21	8	38.1%
312	Derbyshire Dales District Council	161	133	51	38.4%
313	Wolverhampton City Council	162	143	55	38.5%
314	Cyngor Gwynedd	68	62	24	38.7%
315	Malvern Hills District Council	295	263	102	38.8%
316	Tandridge District Council	410	368	143	38.9%
317	Hastings Borough Council	95	90	35	38.9%
318	Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon	116	87	34	39.1%
319	Surrey Heath Borough Council	276	253	99	39.1%
320	London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham	366	314	123	39.2%
321	Aberdeenshire Council	85	84	33	39.3%
322	Fenland District Council	89	81	32	39.5%
323	Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council	225	205	81	39.5%
324	Stoke-on-Trent City Council	94	88	35	39.8%
325	Harlow District Council	109	98	39	39.8%
326	Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area *	523	436	174	39.9%
327	Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council	211	192	77	40.1%
328	Bromsgrove District Council	190	171	69	40.4%
329	Chorley Borough Council	124	109	44	40.4%
330	Manchester City Council	424	359	145	40.4%
331	South Gloucestershire Council	464	392	159	40.6%
332	South Oxfordshire District Council	271	234	95	40.6%
333	Halton Borough Council	38	32	13	40.6%
334	Maldon District Council	357	331	135	40.8%
335	Allerdale Borough Council *	24	22	9	40.9%
336	Hambleton District Council *	101	92	38	41.3%
337	Stafford Borough Council	149	138	57	41.3%
338	London Borough of Hounslow	724	676	280	41.4%
339	Aberdeen City Council	79	77	32	41.6%
340	Cherwell District Council	256	230	96	41.7%
341	Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council	98	91	38	41.8%
342	Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council	193	165	69	41.8%
343	Perth and Kinross Council	78	74	31	41.9%
344	Basildon District Council	445	311	131	42.1%
345	London Borough of Hackney	740	600	254	42.3%
346	Wyre Forest District Council	118	99	42	42.4%
347	South Derbyshire District Council	88	80	34	42.5%
348	Mendip District Council *	83	80	34	42.5%
349	Liverpool City Council	570	553	235	42.5%
350	West Lothian Council	122	115	49	42.6%
351	Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea	449	392	168	42.9%
352	Highland Council	127	126	54	42.9%
353	Hertsmere Borough Council	203	182	79	43.4%
354	New Forest	131	101	44	43.6%
355	Hyndburn Borough Council	64	55	24	43.6%
356	Wychavon District Council	387	353	155	43.9%
357	Scottish Borders Council	36	34	15	44.1%
358	Rochford District Council	183	154	68	44.2%
359	Portsmouth City Council	188	176	78	44.3%
360	Dundee City Council	32	31	14	45.2%
361	Moray Council	23	22	10	45.5%
362	Argyll and Bute Council	27	25	12	48.0%
363	Melton Borough Council	64	57	28	49.1%
364	Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council	67	63	31	49.2%
365	Exmoor	25	20	10	50.0%
366	Broxtowe Borough Council	107	94	50	53.2%
367	Renfrewshire Council	33	33	18	54.5%
368	Belfast	147	106	59	55.7%
369	Stevenage Borough Council	26	20	12	60.0%
370	Derry City and Strabane	59	32	20	62.5%
371	East Dunbartonshire Council	28	28	20	71.4%

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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