Planning permission in Birmingham

Limited recent decision data is available for Birmingham, so we don't show a headline approval rate here. The figures below cover all application types on record.

Across all application types, 84.0% of 17,482 applications decided since April 2023 were approved. Based on Birmingham's public planning register. Data last updated: 7 June 2026.

20,942Total applications
17,482Decided
84.0%Approval rate (of decided)
14,684 Approved+2,798 Refused+951 Withdrawn+0 Pending+2,509 Outcome not determined=20,942 Total
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By Development Category

All applications on record, not only the last 12 months.

CategoryDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Home extensions and alterations (householder) 8,934 7,792 1,142
87.2%
Full planning applications 2,867 2,012 855
70.2%
Discharging planning conditions 2,186 2,041 145
93.4%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development) 764 598 166
78.3%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a) 654 583 71
89.1%
Advertisement Consent 604 522 82
86.4%
Certificate of lawfulness (existing use) 405 296 109
73.1%
Listed Building Consent 337 303 34
89.9%
Changing a planning condition (S73) 223 187 36
83.9%
Permitted Development Commercial from May 2013 212 159 53
75.0%
Phone masts and telecoms 155 73 82 outcome not determined
Demolition 58 56 2
96.6%
Outline Planning 30 12 18
40.0%
High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Act 2017 24 24 0 no refusals recorded
Other* 29 26 3 mixed types

Phone masts and telecoms: 897 applications where we could not determine the outcome from the data we hold, so no approval rate is shown.

High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Act 2017: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

* Other combines smaller categories: Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (19), Permission in Principle - Initial Application (4), Railtrack Determination (3), Prior approval (permitted development) (1), Section 106 Modification of Planning Obligation (1), Certificate of Alternative Development (1).

Quarterly Trend

The most recent three years. Earlier decisions are included in the totals above but not in this chart.

QuarterDecidedApprovedApproval rate
Q3 2023 564 468
83.0%
Q4 2023 1,547 1,260
81.4%
Q1 2024 1,484 1,208
81.4%
Q2 2024 1,227 1,025
83.5%
Q3 2024 1,080 925
85.6%
Q4 2024 1,289 1,103
85.6%
Q1 2025 1,146 1,004
87.6%
Q2 2025 1,313 1,103
84.0%
Q3 2025 1,318 1,147
87.0%
Q4 2025 1,370 1,161
84.7%
Q1 2026 970 814
83.9%
Q2 2026 1 0 sample too small
By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 1,056 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 79.9% in Harborne to 89.2% in Edgbaston, a gap of 9.3 percentage points.

WardDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Ladywood 819 720 99
87.9%
Bournbrook & Selly Park 799 644 155
80.6%
Edgbaston 629 561 68
89.2%
Soho & Jewellery Quarter 577 509 68
88.2%
Bordesley & Highgate 546 470 76
86.1%
Harborne 508 406 102
79.9%
Moseley 438 350 88
79.9%
Hall Green North 428 353 75
82.5%
Sutton Four Oaks 419 361 58
86.2%
Sutton Vesey 393 339 54
86.3%
Bromford & Hodge Hill 391 346 45
88.5%
Handsworth Wood 375 303 72
80.8%
Frequently asked questions
What is the planning approval rate in Birmingham?
Across all application types, 84.0% of 17,482 applications decided in Birmingham since April 2023 were approved.
Do I need planning permission in Birmingham?
It depends on the project and the property. Many home projects fall under permitted development rights, but constraints such as conservation areas, listed buildings and Article 4 directions change what needs permission at a specific address. See our guides to permitted development rights and Article 4 directions.
Do I need a planning consultant in Birmingham?
Many home projects do not need one. A straightforward extension on an unconstrained property is often handled directly with the council, or with an architect or agent preparing the drawings. A consultant is more likely to earn their fee where the site is constrained, the council has refused similar schemes, or an appeal is in prospect. Understanding your property's constraints and the council's recent decisions first makes any conversation with a professional a better-informed one.
Planning guides

Not sure what you can build without planning permission? See our guides to permitted development rights, Article 4 directions and planning costs.

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