In the last 12 months, 86.8% of home project applications were approved in West Lancashire (152 decided): extensions, loft conversions and similar work. A typical home project decision takes about eleven weeks (median 77 days).
Across all application types, 85.2% of 3,680 applications decided since February 2023 were approved. Based on West Lancashire's public planning register. Data last updated: 22 August 2026.
We are not yet generating property reports for West Lancashire. 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 West Lancashire reports go live.
All applications on record, not only the last 12 months.
| Category | Decided | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full planning applications | 1,702 | 1,433 | 269 | |
| Discharging planning conditions | 466 | 376 | 90 | |
| Protected tree works (TPO) | 414 | 384 | 30 | |
| Tree works in a conservation area | 285 | 285 | 0 | no refusals recorded |
| Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development) | 266 | 266 | 0 | no refusals recorded |
| Prior approval (permitted development) | 140 | 83 | 57 | |
| Minor amendment to an approved scheme (S96a) | 91 | 74 | 17 | |
| Certificate of lawfulness (existing use) | 77 | 61 | 16 | |
| Listed Building Consent | 57 | 46 | 11 | |
| Permission in Principle | 41 | 15 | 26 | |
| Advertisement Consent | 39 | 34 | 5 | |
| Non Material Amendment (s96A) | 23 | 19 | 4 | |
| Other* | 79 | 59 | 20 | mixed types |
Tree works in a conservation area: no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.
Certificate of lawfulness (confirming permitted development): no refusals are recorded in this category for this authority, so no approval rate is shown.
* Other combines smaller categories: Prior Notification-Extension of dwelling (17), Outline Planning (14), County Application (12), Reserved matters (detail after outline approval) (7), Prior Notification - Change of Use (5), Adding storeys (prior approval, Class AA) (4), Prior Notification-Renewable Energy (3), Phone masts and telecoms (3), Modif or Discharge of S106 obligations (2), Change of Use (1), Prior Notification - Additional Storeys (1).
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 | 111 | 96 | |
| Q4 2023 | 319 | 273 | |
| Q1 2024 | 308 | 261 | |
| Q2 2024 | 265 | 224 | |
| Q3 2024 | 321 | 270 | |
| Q4 2024 | 297 | 260 | |
| Q1 2025 | 229 | 198 | |
| Q2 2025 | 340 | 300 | |
| Q3 2025 | 292 | 237 | |
| Q4 2025 | 279 | 221 | |
| Q1 2026 | 274 | 216 | |
| Q2 2026 | 88 | 79 | |
| Q3 2026 (quarter in progress) | 18 | 18 | sample too small |
The 12 wards with the most decided applications, across all years. 162 further decided applications fall in wards not shown.
Among wards with at least 20 decided applications, approval rates range from 79.1% in Tarleton Village Ward to 91.0% in Aughton & Holborn Ward, a gap of 11.9 percentage points.
| Ward | Decided | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural North East Ward | 487 | 428 | 59 | |
| Burscough Bridge & Rufford Ward | 415 | 341 | 74 | |
| Rural West Ward | 352 | 285 | 67 | |
| Aughton & Holborn Ward | 345 | 314 | 31 | |
| Rural South Ward | 303 | 245 | 58 | |
| Tarleton Village Ward | 230 | 182 | 48 | |
| Ormskirk East Ward | 229 | 196 | 33 | |
| Up Holland Ward | 209 | 179 | 30 | |
| Ormskirk West Ward | 154 | 126 | 28 | |
| North Meols & Hesketh Bank Ward | 141 | 121 | 20 | |
| Burscough Town Ward | 120 | 108 | 12 | |
| Skelmersdale North Ward | 73 | 60 | 13 |
Not sure what you can build without planning permission? See our guides to permitted development rights, Article 4 directions and planning costs.
Reports for West Lancashire are coming soon. Look up an address now to see its constraints, and join the waitlist.