Planning decisions in West Lancashire
How long West Lancashire takes to decide a planning application and how many it approves, from the 913 decisions it made in the twelve months to September 2026. Days run from validation to decision, the clock the council reports against; the wait from receipt is shown beside it. How the figures are made.
56 daysmedian from validation to decision (UK 54); 59 from receipt
56%decided within eight weeks (UK 66%), 85% within thirteen
86%approved (UK 90%): 734 approved, 119 refused, 29 withdrawn
306 of 388UK rank for speed, down 160 places on last year; 317 of 388 for approvals
By kind of application
| Kind | Median days | Within 8 weeks | Approved | Decisions | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full applications | 64 | 38% | 86% | 351 | 231 of 359 |
| Tree works | 37 | 75% | 99% | 185 | 145 of 324 |
| Lawful development certificates | 56 | 62% | 78% | 109 | 296 of 348 |
| Discharge of conditions | 56 | 54% | 91% | 105 | 231 of 310 |
| Prior approvals | 37 | 91% | 71% | 70 | 181 of 340 |
| Amendments | 35 | 63% | 80% | 40 | 94 of 356 |
| Outline applications * | 51 | 67% | 61% | 20 | 24 of 110 |
| Listed building consent * | 83 | 8% | 77% | 14 | 267 of 307 |
Delegated or committee
| Route | Share | Median days | Approved | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delegated to officers | 99% | 57 | 83% | 609 |
| Planning committee | 1% | 126 | 89% | 9 |
Where the register states how the decision was made. 295 decisions did not say.
Appeals
56 appeals against West Lancashire decisions were decided by the Planning Inspectorate in the window, 47 for every 100 refusals; 41% were allowed. Every appeal in West Lancashire.
By year
| Year decided | Median days | Within 8 weeks | Approved | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 * | 64 | 28% | 85% | 579 |
| 2017 * | 57 | 50% | 73% | 96 |
| 2018 * | 54 | 53% | 100% | 147 |
| 2019 * | 48 | 67% | 74% | 92 |
| 2020 * | 54 | 53% | 74% | 76 |
| 2021 * | 19 | 85% | 100% | 220 |
| 2022 * | 105 | 15% | 85% | 30 |
| 2023 * | 39 | 83% | 95% | 285 |
| 2024 * | 57 | 50% | 100% | 174 |
| 2025 * | 46 | 71% | 72% | 76 |
| 2026 so far | 60 | 44% | 86% | 817 |
* Years from our archive, which carries no validation date: timed from receipt, so a few days longer than the live years above them.
Decided in the last three weeks
- 12 Beacon View Drive Up Holland Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 0HLProposed front dormer.Approved23 Oct 2026
- St James Church Vicarage Lane Westhead Ormskirk Lancashire L40 6HGSee attached report relating to G2 (Beech), Pine T4, Limes (6) - Canopy Lift.Approved22 Oct 2026
- 19 Roseacre Gardens Rufford Ormskirk Lancashire L40 1AAProposed garage conversion with elevational alterations and front porch extension.Approved22 Oct 2026
- Hesketh Bank Cricket Club Station Road Hesketh Bank Preston Lancashire PR4 6SRFull planning application for the erection of cricket practice netsApproved22 Oct 2026
- Agricultural Building Off Eager Lane, Lydiate, West Lancashire, L31 4HSConstruction of agricultural storage building with retrospective consent sought for an existing track and hardstanding area.Refused22 Oct 2026
- Holmes Methodist Church Park Lane Tarleton Preston Lancashire PR4 6JNChange of use from F1(f) Public worship or religious instruction (or in connection with such use) to C3 (a) DwellinghouseApproved22 Oct 2026
- 1 Delph Drive Burscough Ormskirk Lancashire L40 5BDNon Material Amendment to planning permission 2022/0597/FUL - alteration of the approved four-way hipped garage roof to a dual pitched roofApproved21 Oct 2026
- Land North Of Moss Side Lane Tarleton LancashireApplication for determination as to whether prior approval of details is required - Change of use from Class Q agricultural building to twoRefused21 Oct 2026
Built nightly from West Lancashire's planning register. Ranks are among the 388 published councils. See planning applications in West Lancashire, appeals, or get alerts for West Lancashire.
About these figures
How are decision times measured?
Days from the date the council validated the application to the date it decided it, for applications approved or refused in the window. That is the clock councils report against and the official statistics use. Each council’s page also shows the count from receipt, which is what the applicant actually waited. Withdrawn and undecided applications are not timed.
Why do these figures differ from the council’s own?
Councils count an agreed extension of time as decided on time; we treat the calendar as the calendar. Our figures are also live and rolling, where official statistics are quarterly and annual. So a council’s own within-eight-weeks figure will usually sit a little above ours.
What counts as approved?
Approval rate is approvals divided by approvals plus refusals. Withdrawals, and decisions whose outcome the register does not state, are counted in the totals but not in the rate.
Why is a council missing?
A council is published when it has at least 25 timed decisions in the window and its register’s decision data passes our consistency checks. Councils that fail are listed with the reason rather than shown with a number that would mislead.
How often is this updated?
Nightly, from the decisions we collect from every council register we monitor. The window is the twelve months to the last complete month.