Something planned near you? Here's what the records actually mean.

Find the planning information for your area

Enter a UK postcode to identify its council area and find the right national starting points for planning records. Your postcode is sent directly from your browser to Postcodes.io for this lookup; it is not submitted to Doorstep Decoded. A postcode area does not establish which planning authority handles every site.

Important: This tool does not retrieve planning applications, show live decisions or verify site boundaries. Check the original planning register for the exact address.

Five things to check before drawing conclusions

1. The reference and location. Copy the council application number and site address. Search both the present address and any older address or site name.
2. The actual proposal. Read the description, submitted plans and any revised documents. A proposal may change during consultation.
3. The current status. An application being received, validated or consulted on is not planning permission.
4. The decision notice. An approval may have conditions. A refusal, withdrawal or appeal tells a different story. Check the decision date.
5. What happened afterwards. Look for amended plans, later applications, conditions, appeals and evidence of work. Approval does not prove construction has started or finished.

Why an address search can miss a planning record

Street names, building names, plot numbers and postal addresses can change. Planning registers may record the address used at the time of the application. Searching only today's address may miss older history. Try the original site name, neighbouring plot description or the application reference; confirm the location using the official plans before matching records.

This matters especially for converted properties and new developments. We will treat uncertain address matches as unverified rather than automatically joining two records that might concern different places.

Can you comment on a nearby proposal?

Residents can usually submit comments about an application on relevant planning grounds. Relevant issues can include privacy, traffic, noise and the effect on local amenity; house prices or private disputes are not planning grounds. Consultation periods and procedures vary; check the specific application's dates and your local planning authority's instructions. Comments are part of the application file: avoid including sensitive information about neighbours or occupants.

Use the planning register of the local planning authority responsible for the property, not necessarily the council where you live.

What does the status mean for your street?

Submitted or pending: Someone is asking for a decision; nothing has been approved just because a record appears.

Approved with conditions: The decision notice sets out the permission and restrictions. Some details may need further approval.

Refused or withdrawn: That application did not receive the permission sought. A new or revised application may still follow.

Appealed: Some decisions can be challenged through the relevant appeals body. The process differs across the four UK nations; check the appeal outcome rather than assuming the original decision was final.

Historic record: Useful context, not evidence of a current use, current licence or present-day occupancy.