Planning permission in Islington

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

Across all application types, 90.0% of 7,141 applications decided since January 2023 were approved. Based on Islington's public planning register. Data last updated: 5 July 2026.

10,205Total applications
7,141Decided
90.0%Approval rate (of decided)
6,430 Approved+711 Refused+222 Withdrawn+770 Pending+2,072 Outcome not determined=10,205 Total
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We are not yet generating property reports for Islington. You can still look up an address to see its planning constraints (conservation area, listed building, Article 4 direction, flood zone), and leave your email to hear when Islington reports go live.

Decision Level
5,220Delegated
19Committee
By Development Category

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

CategoryDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Full planning applications 2,116 1,864 252
88.1%
Home extensions and alterations (householder) 1,218 1,092 126
89.7%
Listed Building Consent 873 785 88
89.9%
Discharging planning conditions 782 775 7
99.1%
Tree works in a conservation area 646 641 5
99.2%
Advertisement Consent 364 298 66
81.9%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development) 255 219 36
85.9%
Prior approval (permitted development) 253 165 88
65.2%
Protected tree works (TPO) 241 233 8
96.7%
Changing a planning condition (S73) 158 141 17
89.2%
Certificate of lawfulness (existing use) 108 98 10
90.7%
Observations to Adjoining Borough 60 60 0 no refusals recorded
Tree Works Notification in Conservation Area 33 33 0 no refusals recorded
Other* 34 26 8 mixed types

Observations to Adjoining Borough: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

Tree Works Notification in Conservation Area: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.

* Other combines smaller categories: Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a) (11), Phone masts and telecoms (5), Heritage (2), Outline Planning (1), Removal/Variation of Condition (Section 19) (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 310 274
88.4%
Q4 2023 582 530
91.1%
Q1 2024 587 547
93.2%
Q2 2024 384 352
91.7%
Q3 2024 498 449
90.2%
Q4 2024 529 470
88.8%
Q1 2025 491 425
86.6%
Q2 2025 545 501
91.9%
Q3 2025 587 518
88.2%
Q4 2025 642 593
92.4%
Q1 2026 675 579
85.8%
Q2 2026 296 274
92.6%
Q3 2026 (quarter in progress) 3 3 sample too small
By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 796 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 85.7% in St Peter's & Canalside to 93.3% in Bunhill, a gap of 7.6 percentage points.

WardDecidedApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Barnsbury 741 663 78
89.5%
St Mary's & St James' 656 580 76
88.4%
Highbury 536 497 39
92.7%
Clerkenwell 530 480 50
90.6%
Bunhill 480 448 32
93.3%
St Peter's & Canalside 454 389 65
85.7%
Canonbury 428 390 38
91.1%
Laycock 385 354 31
91.9%
Junction 344 315 29
91.6%
Tollington 330 291 39
88.2%
Mildmay 322 288 34
89.4%
Tufnell Park 294 274 20
93.2%
Frequently asked questions
What is the planning approval rate in Islington?
Across all application types, 90.0% of 7,141 applications decided in Islington since January 2023 were approved.
Do I need planning permission in Islington?
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 Islington?
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.

Reports for Islington are coming soon. Look up an address now to see its constraints, and join the waitlist.