Westminster planning appeals
Westminster is among the ten per cent of English councils most often overturned on appeal. Inspectors allowed 45% of the planning appeals decided against it, against 31% across England.
That ranks Westminster 15 of 195 English councils with at least 20 appeals decided, counting from the most often overturned.
What this means if you are objecting
A refusal here is overturned more often than in most of England, so a developer refused by Westminster has better than average odds on appeal. That is an argument for making your objection rest on the adopted local plan rather than on amenity alone, because policy conflict is what survives an inspector reading the file.
Householder appeals
12 householder appeals were decided against Westminster, with 42% allowed. These are extensions, loft conversions and the like, and they are decided under a faster procedure than a full planning appeal.
Against the rest of London
Across London, inspectors allowed 25% of planning appeals on average. Westminster is a london borough.
Other councils in London
- Sutton40% (12/30)
- Hackney39% (23/59)
- Kensington and Chelsea36% (9/25)
- Lewisham33% (14/42)
- Kingston upon Thames33% (18/55)
- Richmond upon Thames32% (12/38)
- Hillingdon31% (21/68)
- Haringey29% (12/42)
Objecting to an application in Westminster?
Enter the planning reference and we will check the designations on the site, the adopted local plan and the applicant's own documents, then tell you which grounds you actually have. That part is free.
Check my grounds, freeFigures cover April 2025 to March 2026 and come from the Planning Inspectorate, Decisions by LPA and decision maker, published under the Open Government Licence. Section 78 planning appeals only. “Allowed” means the inspector granted permission the council had refused. Source data.