Planning decisions in Belfast
As of 29 Jun 2026, covering the last 5 years.
On the public planning record, Belfast approved 99% of 1,765 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 (526 decided, ~119 days)
- Rear extension : 100% approved (340 decided, ~119 days) †
- Demolition : 99% approved (210 decided, ~132 days)
- Roof / fenestration : 100% approved (129 decided, ~122 days) †
- Side extension : 100% approved (122 decided, ~124 days) †
- Change of use : 94% approved (95 decided, ~143 days)
- Loft conversion : 100% approved (88 decided, ~114 days) †
- Advertisement / signage : 99% approved (84 decided, ~90 days)
- Two-storey extension : 100% approved (83 decided, ~125 days) †
- Boundary wall / fence / gates : 96% approved (56 decided, ~140 days)
- Shopfront / commercial : 100% approved (32 decided, ~120 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 Belfast, 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.