Ashfield

East Midlands·E07000170·Data: 2025 Q1-Q4
61

Average

Performance rating out of 100, based on approval rate, decision speed and appeal outcomes

Ashfield is a planning authority in the East Midlands that handles applications for homes across its district. The council approves most householder applications and takes a reasonably balanced approach to residential development. One thing worth noting is that while most applications do get approved, the council takes a bit longer than average to make its decisions.

Approval Rate

88%

of householder applications approved

Decided Within 8 Weeks

72%

meet the statutory target

Appeal Overturn Rate

40%

of refusals overturned on appeal

What to Expect

You can feel fairly confident about your application here, as Ashfield approves around 88% of householder planning applications. However, you should be prepared for the process to take a little longer than the standard 8 weeks, as the council manages to decide only about 72% of applications within this timeframe. That said, the authority is working to improve its speed, and many applications do get decided relatively promptly. If your application is refused, there is a reasonable chance of success on appeal, with 40% of refused applications being overturned.

Local Planning Considerations

Ashfield includes areas with different planning sensitivities, so it's worth checking whether your property is in a conservation area or near any listed buildings, as these will affect what you can do. The East Midlands region has pockets of green belt land, and if your property sits within this designation, you may face stricter rules about what development is permitted.

Tips for Homeowners

Start by having a friendly chat with the planning team at Ashfield before you submit anything formal, as they can often spot potential issues early and save you time and money later. Make sure your application is as complete as possible from day one, with all the supporting documents the council asks for, because missing information is one of the main reasons applications get delayed. Given that decisions here take a bit longer than average, submit your application well in advance of any deadlines you might have, and don't hesitate to ring the council to check on progress if you haven't heard anything after 6 weeks.

About the performance rating: The score out of 100 is calculated from three factors: householder application approval rate (up to 40 points), the percentage of decisions made within the 8-week statutory target (up to 30 points), and the appeal overturn rate, where a lower rate means the authority makes sound decisions that hold up on appeal (up to 20 points). A further 10 points are available for data completeness. Source: MHCLG PS2 planning statistics and Planning Inspectorate appeal decisions, 2025 Q1-Q4.

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