Planning decisions in Ards and North Down
As of 2 Jul 2026, covering the last 5 years.
On the public planning record, Ards and North Down approved 99% of 1,461 decided applications in the last 5 years. Here is the approval rate for the most common home-project types. It is useful before you apply and free for local reporters to cite with attribution to MyTrustedTraders.
Approval rate by project type
- Extension : 99% approved (493 decided, ~74 days)
- Rear extension : 99% approved (258 decided, ~74 days)
- Side extension : 99% approved (141 decided, ~63 days)
- Demolition : 99% approved (131 decided, ~106 days)
- Two-storey extension : 99% approved (102 decided, ~96 days)
- Loft conversion : 100% approved (60 decided, ~93 days) †
- Boundary wall / fence / gates : 98% approved (52 decided, ~119 days)
- Change of use : 98% approved (51 decided, ~150 days)
- Balcony / roof terrace : 96% approved (51 decided, ~104 days)
- Roof / fenestration : 100% approved (48 decided, ~75 days) †
- Porch : 98% approved (40 decided, ~71 days)
- New dwelling : 97% approved (34 decided, ~148 days)
† We hold no refused decisions for this type here, so treat a full approval rate with caution. The council's own portal has the complete history.
Method
Figures are aggregates over the public planning decisions we hold for Ards and North Down, matched to a project type from the application description. Overall approval is decided-weighted across project types, using each type's rate over the last 5 years where we hold enough decisions, otherwise its full record. Only types with at least five decided applications are shown. We publish aggregate counts only, with no application references or applicant names. Full method and limits.