Around 1 in 3 planning appeals succeeds nationally. But your individual chances depend heavily on why you were refused.
Across all appeal types, approximately 33-36% of planning appeals in England are allowed by the Planning Inspectorate. For householder applications specifically, the rate is typically 35-40%. These figures have been broadly stable for a decade.
The nature of the refusal reason is the single biggest factor. Refusals on design and character grounds (the most common type) are overturned more frequently than refusals on flood risk, highway safety, or green belt grounds. Having local precedent — approved applications nearby with similar design and scale — significantly increases success rates.
Some councils are more likely to be overturned than others. Local planning authorities with poor appeal records are sometimes placed in 'special measures' by the government. If your council has a high appeal overturn rate, that context is relevant to your case.
There's no significant difference in success rates between the two main procedures. The choice of procedure should be based on the complexity of your case, not on which you think gives you a better chance.
Find out your personal appeal likelihood based on your specific refusal reasons.
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