Planiverse / Authorities / Watford

Watford

In the last 12 months, 78.1% of householder applications were approved in Watford (329 decided). A typical householder decision takes about eight weeks (median 54 days).

Full planning applications: 73.5% approved (98 decided).

Across all application types on record (2023-01-25–2026-06-19): 83.9% of 3,195 decisions approved.

3,433Total applications
2,681Approved
514Refused
48Withdrawn
180Pending
83.9%Approval rate (all types)
Check a property in Watford
Decision Level
3,345Delegated
13Not Available
2Called in by Secretary of State
1Deptartment of Environment
1Committee
By Development Category
CategoryTotalApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Householder 1,368 1,112 256
81.3%
Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed) 527 439 88
83.3%
Full Planning Application 386 259 127
67.1%
Discharge of Conditions 244 244 0
100.0%
Tree Works (TPO) 205 202 3
98.5%
Non-Material Amendment (S96a) 127 114 13
89.8%
Advertisement Consent 94 85 9
90.4%
Tree Works (Conservation Area) 71 70 1
98.6%
Variation/Removal of Conditions (S73) 54 47 7
87.0%
Change of Use 43 36 7
83.7%
Listed Building Consent 31 31 0
100.0%
Prior Approval (Other) 8 8 0
100.0%
Telecommunications 8 8 0
100.0%
Full Planning (Major) 7 6 1
85.7%
Biodiversity Gain Plan Application 5 5 0
100.0%
installation/alteration Solar non dom 4 4 0
100.0%
Upward extension detached in use house 4 4 0
100.0%
Reserved Matters 3 3 0
100.0%
Outline Planning 2 1 1
50.0%
Cert of Lawful Prop Works - Listed Build 1 0 1
0.0%
5 day notice - works to trees with TPO 1 1 0
100.0%
Demolition 1 1 0
100.0%
CLP Proposed Use or Operation 1 1 0
100.0%
Quarterly Trend
QuarterDecidedApprovedApproval rate
2023-Q3 232 194
83.6%
2023-Q4 261 219
83.9%
2024-Q1 259 228
88.0%
2024-Q2 258 208
80.6%
2024-Q3 255 209
82.0%
2024-Q4 231 190
82.3%
2025-Q1 229 194
84.7%
2025-Q2 298 234
78.5%
2025-Q3 245 202
82.4%
2025-Q4 244 221
90.6%
2026-Q1 214 178
83.2%
2026-Q2 108 91
84.3%
By Ward
WardTotalApprovedRefusedApproval rate
Park 498 420 78
84.3%
Nascot 407 359 48
88.2%
Central 342 281 61
82.2%
Tudor 285 238 47
83.5%
Oxhey 262 229 33
87.4%
Vicarage 220 183 37
83.2%
Stanborough 218 183 35
83.9%
Woodside 199 173 26
86.9%
Callowland 197 149 48
75.6%
Meriden 192 155 37
80.7%
Holywell 165 131 34
79.4%
Leggatts 161 137 24
85.1%
Planning guides

Not sure what you can build without planning permission? See our guides to permitted development rights and Article 4 directions.