Planning permission in Portsmouth

In the last 12 months, 90.9% of home project applications were approved in Portsmouth (154 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about nine weeks (median 64 days).

Across all application types, 88.8% of 3,070 applications decided since January 2023 were approved. Based on Portsmouth's public planning register. Data last updated: 9 April 2026.

3,704Total applications

3,070Decided

88.8%Approval rate (of decided)

2,726 Approved+344 Refused+140 Withdrawn+463 Pending+31 Outcome not determined=3,704 Total

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Decision Level

3,465Delegated

By Development Category

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

Category	Decided	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Full planning applications	884	763	121	86.3%
Home extensions and alterations (householder)	649	568	81	87.5%
Discharging planning conditions	293	289	4	98.6%
Protected tree works (TPO)	273	244	29	89.4%
General Permitted Development	168	152	16	90.5%
Advertisement Consent	143	134	9	93.7%
Listed Building Consent	110	96	14	87.3%
Certificate of lawfulness (existing use)	109	104	5	95.4%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development)	100	86	14	86.0%
Changing a planning condition (S73)	95	89	6	93.7%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a)	82	65	17	79.3%
Planning Regularise	73	61	12	83.6%
Prior approval (permitted development)	62	48	14	77.4%
Other*	29	27	2	mixed types

* Other combines smaller categories: Demolition (10), Marine Management Organisation (7), Outline Planning (5), Environmental impact screening and scoping (3), Adjacent authority consultation (2), Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (1), Modify Planning Agreement (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	113	102	90.3%
Q4 2023	228	206	90.4%
Q1 2024	222	197	88.7%
Q2 2024	281	247	87.9%
Q3 2024	293	260	88.7%
Q4 2024	268	227	84.7%
Q1 2025	247	222	89.9%
Q2 2025	207	182	87.9%
Q3 2025	249	213	85.5%
Q4 2025	270	245	90.7%
Q1 2026	245	209	85.3%
Q2 2026	19	16	sample too small

By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 256 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 86.8% in Baffins to 92.0% in Hilsea, a gap of 5.2 percentage points.

Ward	Decided	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
St Thomas	356	319	37	89.6%
Drayton & Farlington	353	307	46	87.0%
St Jude	330	288	42	87.3%
Charles Dickens	244	223	21	91.4%
Central Southsea	234	211	23	90.2%
Cosham	211	189	22	89.6%
Hilsea	200	184	16	92.0%
Milton	195	174	21	89.2%
Eastney & Craneswater	191	167	24	87.4%
Copnor	185	161	24	87.0%
Nelson	185	162	23	87.6%
Baffins	129	112	17	86.8%

Frequently asked questions

What is the planning approval rate in Portsmouth?

In the last 12 months, 90.9% of home project applications (extensions, loft conversions and similar work) were approved in Portsmouth, based on 154 decided applications. Across all application types, 88.8% of 3,070 applications decided since January 2023 were approved.

How long does a planning decision take in Portsmouth?

The median time from submission to decision for home project applications decided in Portsmouth in the last 12 months was 64 days (about nine weeks). Times vary case by case.

Do I need planning permission in Portsmouth?

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 Portsmouth?

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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