Planiverse / Authorities / Bradford

Planning permission in Bradford

In the last 12 months, 88.9% of home project applications were approved in Bradford (682 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about eight weeks (median 56 days).

Across all application types, 78.7% of 10,833 applications decided since January 2023 were approved. Based on Bradford's public planning register. Data last updated: 22 August 2026.

13,092Total applications
10,833Decided
78.7%Approval rate (of decided)
8,525 Approved+2,308 Refused+230 Withdrawn+1,706 Pending+323 Outcome not determined=13,092 Total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) 3,947 3,428 519
86.9%
Protected tree works (TPO) 1,646 667 979
40.5%
Full planning applications 1,387 1,052 335
75.8%
Prior approval (permitted development) 830 775 55
93.4%
Discharging planning conditions 760 735 25
96.7%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development) 668 528 140
79.0%
Listed Building Consent 479 427 52
89.1%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a) 399 326 73
81.7%
Advertisement Consent 236 188 48
79.7%
Changing a planning condition (S73) 170 151 19
88.8%
Full Planning (Major) 63 55 8
87.3%
Commercial, Business and Service uses to 62 51 11
82.3%
Outline Planning 56 30 26
53.6%
Phone masts and telecoms 41 32 9
78.0%
Enforcement 27 26 1
96.3%
Other* 62 54 8 mixed types

* Other combines smaller categories: Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (17), Screening (14), Comm, business and service or betting (8), Permission In Principle (8), Regulation 77 Application (6), Regulation 3 Application (4), Certain uses to dwellinghouses (2), Minor Technical Details Consent (1), Power Related 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 473 387
81.8%
Q4 2023 911 702
77.1%
Q1 2024 944 717
76.0%
Q2 2024 1,009 806
79.9%
Q3 2024 987 755
76.5%
Q4 2024 881 705
80.0%
Q1 2025 791 599
75.7%
Q2 2025 654 516
78.9%
Q3 2025 778 610
78.4%
Q4 2025 848 674
79.5%
Q1 2026 628 538
85.7%
Q2 2026 14 13 sample too small
Q3 2026 (quarter in progress) 9 9 sample too small
By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 990 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 65.2% in Worth Valley (ward 29) to 85.5% in Wharfedale (ward 26), a gap of 20.3 percentage points.

WardDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Ilkley (ward 14) 1,116 742 374
66.5%
City (ward 07) 652 537 115
82.4%
Craven (ward 09) 531 407 124
76.6%
Wharfedale (ward 26) 519 444 75
85.5%
Heaton (ward 12) 519 404 115
77.8%
Worth Valley (ward 29) 454 296 158
65.2%
Bingley (ward 02) 430 305 125
70.9%
Shipley (ward 22) 429 360 69
83.9%
Bingley Rural (ward 03) 419 328 91
78.3%
Baildon (ward 01) 356 270 86
75.8%
Thornton And Allerton (ward 23) 351 288 63
82.1%
Great Horton (ward 11) 346 290 56
83.8%
Frequently asked questions
What is the planning approval rate in Bradford?
In the last 12 months, 88.9% of home project applications (extensions, loft conversions and similar work) were approved in Bradford, based on 682 decided applications. Across all application types, 78.7% of 10,833 applications decided since January 2023 were approved.
How long does a planning decision take in Bradford?
The median time from submission to decision for home project applications decided in Bradford in the last 12 months was 56 days (about eight weeks). Times vary case by case.
Do I need planning permission in Bradford?
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 Bradford?
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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