Planning permission in Preston

In the last 12 months, 96.6% of home project applications were approved in Preston (175 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about seven weeks (median 50 days).

Across all application types, 95.2% of 5,079 applications decided since June 2023 were approved. Based on Preston's public planning register. Data last updated: 27 May 2026.

5,594Total applications

5,079Decided

95.2%Approval rate (of decided)

4,833 Approved+246 Refused+250 Withdrawn+0 Pending+265 Outcome not determined=5,594 Total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	1,802	1,713	89	95.1%
Discharging planning conditions	693	693	0	no refusals recorded
Home extensions and alterations (householder)	639	620	19	97.0%
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development)	255	239	16	93.7%
Advertisement Consent	197	179	18	90.9%
Changing a planning condition (S73)	196	191	5	97.4%
Listed Building Consent	172	166	6	96.5%
Protected tree works (TPO)	158	150	8	94.9%
Change of Use	152	147	5	96.7%
Tree works in a conservation area	143	142	1	99.3%
Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a)	119	109	10	91.6%
Prior approval (permitted development)	58	51	7	87.9%
Permission in Principle	51	28	23	54.9%
Larger extensions (householder prior approval)	50	49	1	98.0%
Reserved matters (detail after outline approval)	48	47	1	97.9%
Prior Notification - Change of use	47	44	3	93.6%
Outline Planning	38	30	8	78.9%
Phone masts and telecoms	33	30	3	90.9%
Other*	228	205	23	mixed types

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

* Other combines smaller categories: Certificate of lawfulness (existing use) (18), Neighbouring Authority (Article 16) (16), Prior Notification - Others (15), Regulation 3 - LCC for LCC (13), Barn to home conversion (prior approval, Class Q) (12), Change of use to homes (prior approval, Class MA) (10), Modify or Discharge a S106 Planning Obligation (10), EI Screening Opinion (10), Outline application (major) (9), Early acknowledgement for demolition (9), Environmental impact screening and scoping (8), Regulation 4 - LCC for others (5), Ecclesiastical Exemption (4), County determined matters (4), Hedgerow Removal (4), Demolition (2), Minerals and waste (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	84	81	96.4%
Q4 2023	241	234	97.1%
Q1 2024	240	235	97.9%
Q2 2024	262	253	96.6%
Q3 2024	293	285	97.3%
Q4 2024	281	273	97.2%
Q1 2025	236	213	90.3%
Q2 2025	307	295	96.1%
Q3 2025	265	247	93.2%
Q4 2025	303	274	90.4%
Q1 2026	214	205	95.8%
Q2 2026	113	107	94.7%

By Ward

The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 262 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.

Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 89.3% in St Matthews to 99.0% in Ribbleton, a gap of 9.7 percentage points.

Ward	Decided	Approved	Refused	Approval rate
Preston Rural North	517	486	31	94.0%
City Centre	428	402	26	93.9%
Preston Rural East	373	350	23	93.8%
Garrison	187	184	3	98.4%
Ashton	160	154	6	96.2%
Sharoe Green	145	135	10	93.1%
Greyfriars	137	132	5	96.4%
St Matthews	112	100	12	89.3%
Deepdale	107	105	2	98.1%
Fishwick & Frenchwood	104	99	5	95.2%
Ribbleton	102	101	1	99.0%
Ingol & Cottam	102	99	3	97.1%

Frequently asked questions

What is the planning approval rate in Preston?

In the last 12 months, 96.6% of home project applications (extensions, loft conversions and similar work) were approved in Preston, based on 175 decided applications. Across all application types, 95.2% of 5,079 applications decided since June 2023 were approved.

How long does a planning decision take in Preston?

The median time from submission to decision for home project applications decided in Preston in the last 12 months was 50 days (about seven weeks). Times vary case by case.

Do I need planning permission in Preston?

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 Preston?

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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