Cambridge

In the last 12 months, 95.3% of householder applications were approved in Cambridge (318 decided). A typical householder decision takes about eight weeks (median 55 days).

Full planning applications: 89.5% approved (153 decided).

Across all application types on record (2023-02-01–2026-06-30): 95.4% of 6,945 decisions approved.

8,909Total applications

6,627Approved

318Refused

407Withdrawn

1,265Pending

95.4%Approval rate (all types)

Check a property in Cambridge

Decision Level

4,206-

2,028Delegated Decision

1,072Delegated (Condition)

923Tree - Delegated (CBG)

218Tree - Officer (SCDC)

91Not Available

49Committee Decision (Area/Main)

10Joint Development Control committee

By Development Category

Category	Total	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Tree Works (TPO)	1,901	1,806	95	95.0%
Discharge of Conditions	1,860	1,860	0	100.0%
Householder	1,411	1,332	79	94.4%
Full Planning Application	443	393	50	88.7%
Listed Building Consent	294	285	9	96.9%
Non-Material Amendment (S96a)	266	238	28	89.5%
Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed)	224	224	0	100.0%
Variation/Removal of Conditions (S73)	212	206	6	97.2%
Prior Approval (Other)	147	116	31	78.9%
Advertisement Consent	124	116	8	93.5%
Reserved Matters	19	17	2	89.5%
Outline Planning	15	10	5	66.7%
Environmental Impact Assessment (Screening/Scoping)	12	12	0	100.0%
S106A	8	7	1	87.5%
Consultation with Neighbouring Authority	6	4	2	66.7%
Permission in Principle	3	1	2	33.3%

Quarterly Trend

Quarter	Decided	Approved	Approval rate
2023-Q3	477	459	96.2%
2023-Q4	600	560	93.3%
2024-Q1	577	536	92.9%
2024-Q2	529	507	95.8%
2024-Q3	556	538	96.8%
2024-Q4	648	618	95.4%
2025-Q1	617	590	95.6%
2025-Q2	590	551	93.4%
2025-Q3	670	651	97.2%
2025-Q4	657	636	96.8%
2026-Q1	550	529	96.2%
2026-Q2	18	18	100.0%

By Ward

Ward	Total	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Market	697	657	40	94.3%
Newnham	670	659	11	98.4%
Queen Ediths	593	565	28	95.3%
West Chesterton	442	411	31	93.0%
Petersfield	438	414	24	94.5%
Castle	403	387	16	96.0%
Trumpington	310	296	14	95.5%
Romsey	291	276	15	94.8%
Abbey	283	267	16	94.3%
Cherry Hinton	246	239	7	97.2%
East Chesterton	245	237	8	96.7%
Arbury	221	206	15	93.2%

Planning guides

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