Planiverse / Authorities / East Cambridgeshire

Planning permission in East Cambridgeshire

In the last 12 months, 89.1% of home project applications were approved in East Cambridgeshire (128 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about nine weeks (median 61 days).

Across all application types, 91.7% of 2,834 applications decided since February 2023 were approved. Based on East Cambridgeshire's public planning register. Data last updated: 10 April 2026.

3,251Total applications
2,834Decided
91.7%Approval rate (of decided)
2,598 Approved+236 Refused+170 Withdrawn+182 Pending+65 Outcome not determined=3,251 Total
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By Development Category

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

CategoryDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Full planning applications 996 858 138
86.1%
Tree works in a conservation area 537 537 0 no refusals recorded
Discharging planning conditions 457 457 0 no refusals recorded
Protected tree works (TPO) 228 208 20
91.2%
Changing a planning condition (S73) 148 137 11
92.6%
Listed Building Consent 104 91 13
87.5%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a) 75 75 0 no refusals recorded
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development) 61 51 10
83.6%
Advertisement Consent 31 29 2
93.5%
Barn to home conversion (prior approval, Class Q) 30 24 6
80.0%
Certificate of lawfulness (existing use) 26 19 7
73.1%
Prior approval (permitted development) 23 13 10
56.5%
Full Planning (Major) 20 16 4
80.0%
Other* 98 83 15 mixed types

Tree works in a conservation area: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

Discharging planning conditions: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a): no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

* Other combines smaller categories: Outline Planning (15), County Council application (14), Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (12), Home extensions and alterations (householder) (9), Install/Alter/Replace Solar Photovoltaic (8), Class E to Residential Notification (8), Screen (6), Flexible use Notification (5), Demolition (4), Permission in Principle (4), Phone masts and telecoms (3), Section 37 Overhead Line Consent (2), Miscellaneous development (2), Hedgerow Removal (2), Environmental Statement Full (1), Hazardous Substances (1), County Council Discharge of Cond 2nd app (1), County Council Discharge of Cond 3rd app (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 85 81
95.3%
Q4 2023 246 225
91.5%
Q1 2024 247 226
91.5%
Q2 2024 238 206
86.6%
Q3 2024 198 180
90.9%
Q4 2024 279 265
95.0%
Q1 2025 248 231
93.1%
Q2 2025 269 244
90.7%
Q3 2025 264 227
86.0%
Q4 2025 286 266
93.0%
Q1 2026 234 218
93.2%
Q2 2026 24 24
100.0%
By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 238 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 87.5% in Soham South to 94.8% in Sutton, a gap of 7.3 percentage points.

WardDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Woodditton 363 327 36
90.1%
Ely West 280 265 15
94.6%
Fordham And Isleham 264 241 23
91.3%
Bottisham 264 244 20
92.4%
Ely East 237 212 25
89.5%
Burwell 224 210 14
93.8%
Stretham 203 183 20
90.1%
Soham South 184 161 23
87.5%
Sutton 155 147 8
94.8%
Littleport 151 140 11
92.7%
Soham North 144 132 12
91.7%
Ely North 126 117 9
92.9%
Frequently asked questions
What is the planning approval rate in East Cambridgeshire?
In the last 12 months, 89.1% of home project applications (extensions, loft conversions and similar work) were approved in East Cambridgeshire, based on 128 decided applications. Across all application types, 91.7% of 2,834 applications decided since February 2023 were approved.
How long does a planning decision take in East Cambridgeshire?
The median time from submission to decision for home project applications decided in East Cambridgeshire in the last 12 months was 61 days (about nine weeks). Times vary case by case.
Do I need planning permission in East Cambridgeshire?
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 East Cambridgeshire?
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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