Planning permission in Lake District National Park

In the last 12 months, 95.7% of home project applications were approved in Lake District National Park (115 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about eight weeks (median 55 days).

Across all application types, 90.6% of 4,033 applications decided since January 2023 were approved. Based on Lake District National Park's public planning register. Data last updated: 23 August 2026.

5,137Total applications

4,033Decided

90.6%Approval rate (of decided)

3,652 Approved+381 Refused+370 Withdrawn+1 Pending+733 Outcome not determined=5,137 Total

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By Development Category

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

Category	Decided	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Full planning applications	1,927	1,750	177	90.8%
Tree works in a conservation area	329	329	0	no refusals recorded
Changing a planning condition (S73)	256	237	19	92.6%
Enforcement	251	249	2	99.2%
Listed Building Consent	239	215	24	90.0%
Protected tree works (TPO)	226	214	12	94.7%
Prior approval (permitted development)	192	175	17	91.1%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a)	155	132	23	85.2%
Certificate of lawfulness (existing use)	75	53	22	70.7%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development)	75	65	10	86.7%
Advertisement Consent	54	45	9	83.3%
Phone masts and telecoms	32	24	8	75.0%
Outline Planning	20	11	9	55.0%
Other*	202	153	49	mixed types

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

* Other combines smaller categories: Full Planning (Major) (17), Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (14), Demolition (12), Other (7), Change of Use (6), Enquiry - Advice (After 1 August 2018) (6), Modify planning obligation (5), Consultation (5), Confirmation of compliance with condition attached to planning permission (4), Non material amendments (4), Hedgerow Removal (4), Notice of Intention (Solar, Q6g) (3), Notification of Intention (Agricultural, Q6g) (3), 5 Day Notice (TPO or Conservation Area) (2), Enquiry - Timeline (1), Environmental impact screening and scoping (1), BNG - Confirmation of Compliance (1).

Quarterly Trend

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

Quarter	Decided	Approved	Approval rate
Q3 2023	109	101	92.7%
Q4 2023	345	320	92.8%
Q1 2024	351	306	87.2%
Q2 2024	321	282	87.9%
Q3 2024	333	305	91.6%
Q4 2024	306	284	92.8%
Q1 2025	325	297	91.4%
Q2 2025	317	290	91.5%
Q3 2025	306	275	89.9%
Q4 2025	356	330	92.7%
Q1 2026	302	267	88.4%
Q2 2026	49	41	83.7%
Q3 2026 (quarter in progress)	5	5	sample too small

By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 307 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 86.6% in Ambleside & Grasmere Ward to 94.4% in Greystoke and Ullswater Ward, a gap of 7.8 percentage points.

Ward	Decided	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Windermere and Ambleside Ward	429	398	31	92.8%
Keswick Ward	334	305	29	91.3%
Broughton & Coniston Ward	292	259	33	88.7%
Ambleside & Grasmere Ward	290	251	39	86.6%
Bowness & Levens Ward	270	239	31	88.5%
Bowness and Lyth Ward	205	184	21	89.8%
Coniston and Hawkshead Ward	187	173	14	92.5%
Windermere Ward	175	163	12	93.1%
Bothel and Wharrels Ward	149	137	12	91.9%
Ullswater Ward	130	118	12	90.8%
Greystoke and Ullswater Ward	126	119	7	94.4%
Kendal Rural Ward	121	109	12	90.1%

Frequently asked questions

What is the planning approval rate in Lake District National Park?

In the last 12 months, 95.7% of home project applications (extensions, loft conversions and similar work) were approved in Lake District National Park, based on 115 decided applications. Across all application types, 90.6% of 4,033 applications decided since January 2023 were approved.

How long does a planning decision take in Lake District National Park?

The median time from submission to decision for home project applications decided in Lake District National Park in the last 12 months was 55 days (about eight weeks). Times vary case by case.

Do I need planning permission in Lake District National Park?

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 Lake District National Park?

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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