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PlanningLedger

Cambridge City Council planning applications

Data as of 5 November 2026

Cambridge City Council decided more than 6,100 planning applications in the twelve months to 5 November 2026. It refused 6% of those it approved or refused, lower than the middle UK council (9%), and took a median of 51 days to decide one.

Look up one application

Search by reference or address on Cambridge City Council’s own planning portal. Or ask Claude, with the PlanningLedger connector, to find it and read its officer report and decision notice (mcp.planningledger.com).

Recent major decisions

Figures for Cambridge City Council

Decisions: the twelve months to 5 November 2026, from Cambridge City Council’s published planning register. Appeals: decided from 6 November 2023 to 5 November 2026, from the appeal body’s casework.
Applications decided more than 6,100
Share refusedof those approved or refused 6%middle UK council 9%
Median time to a decisionfrom the valid date 51 daysmiddle UK council 55 days
Householder applications refusedextensions, lofts, outbuildings Not enough typed decisions
Appeals decidedin the last three years more than 100
Appeals allowedof those decided on their merits 22%about one in four
Officer reports and decision notices searchable back to 2017
Local Plan policies held 85plan adopted 2018

What inspectors decide appeals on

In their own words, from recent appeal decisions on Cambridge City Council’s planning applications.

  • “For Appeal A, the main issue is the effect of the proposed advertisements on the visual amenity of the area. 7. For Appeal B, the main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of…”

    Dismissed, 2026

  • “The main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.”

    Dismissed, 2026

  • “It is considered that the main issue for Appeal A is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the streetscene. For Appeal B, the main issue is the effect of the proposed advertisement on visual…”

    Dismissed, 2024

  • “The main issue is the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area.”

    Dismissed, 2023

  • “The main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area with particular reference to its siting and appearance.”

    Dismissed, 2021

How we count, and what each figure leaves out: methodology. The council’s own register is the record, and each application links to it.