What is the planning approval rate in Exmoor National Park?

98.2% of householder planning applications were approved in Exmoor National Park over 2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1, from 55 decisions. 1 were refused. These are the council's own statutory returns, not an estimate. Most people guess far lower, which is why plenty of good projects never get submitted at all.

Do I need planning permission for an extension in Exmoor National Park?

Often not. Many single storey rear extensions fall under permitted development, a national grant of permission you do not apply for. The Project Calculator will tell you which side of the line your project sits on in about a minute.

How long does planning permission take in Exmoor National Park?

100.0% of householder decisions here were made within the eight week target, comfortably ahead of the national picture. Add three to six weeks before that for survey, design and validation. Realistically, expect twelve to eighteen weeks from first call to a decision you can build from.

Is there an Article 4 direction in Exmoor National Park?

None have been published for Exmoor National Park on the government Planning Data platform, but that is a data gap rather than proof. Check the council's own policy map, because an Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights entirely.

How many applications get refused in Exmoor National Park?

1.8%, or 1 in the year. Refusals almost always come down to depth, bulk, overlooking, or a design that reads as bolted on rather than part of the house. Nearly all of them can be built in some form after a redesign.

Exmoor National Park Planning: 98.2% Approved (2026 Data)

What the numbers actually say

Householder planning in Exmoor National Park is far more predictable than most people assume. Over 2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1 the council decided 55 householder applications and approved 98.2%. 1 were refused. That puts it 1 of 9 in National Parks on approval rate.

Speed is the other half of the story. 100.0% of those decisions landed inside the eight week statutory target, comfortably ahead of the national picture.

Permitted development here

No Article 4 directions for Exmoor National Park have been published to the government Planning Data platform. That is not the same as none existing. Plenty of authorities have directions in force that they have not published as open data, so check the council's own policy map before you commit to a design.

No conservation areas for Exmoor National Park appear on the platform, though the council may still have designated some.

The route most people miss

No larger householder extension prior approvals were recorded here in the year, which usually means people are staying inside the standard limits or going straight to a full application.

Project Calculator

What can you build in Exmoor National Park?

The rules above are the council's. The Project Calculator applies them to your house: pick the type, drag the extension, and get a verdict and a cost for your postcode.

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