Which ward in Barnsley has the highest planning approval rate?

Dodworth, Old Town Ward at 100.0% based on 20 decisions.

Which ward in Barnsley has the lowest planning approval rate?

Stairfoot Ward, Wombwell Ward at 76.9% based on 13 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Barnsley?

There is a 23.1% gap between Dodworth, Old Town Ward and Stairfoot Ward, Wombwell Ward. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Barnsley

Planning outcomes in Barnsley are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 23.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

24,616 real decisions·39 wards·Updated March 2026

All 39 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Dodworth, Old Town Ward	20	20	0	100.0%
2	Dodworth, Kingstone Ward	17	17	0	100.0%
3	Kingstone Ward, Worsbrough Ward	27	27	0	100.0%
4	Darton West, Old Town Ward	41	40	1	97.6%
5	NA	408	393	15	96.3%
6	Hoyland Milton, Rockingham Ward	20	19	1	95.0%
7	St Helens Ward	586	550	36	93.9%
8	Stairfoot Ward	851	793	58	93.2%
9	Central Ward	1,744	1,606	138	92.1%
10	Wombwell Ward	914	841	73	92.0%
11	Rockingham Ward	1,059	972	87	91.8%
12	Darton West, Dodworth	24	22	2	91.7%
13	Monk Bretton, St Helens Ward	24	22	2	91.7%
14	Cudworth, North East Ward	23	21	2	91.3%
15	Monk Bretton	809	736	73	91.0%
16	Dearne South	676	615	61	91.0%
17	Central Ward, Monk Bretton	11	10	1	90.9%
18	Darton West	1,139	1,034	105	90.8%
19	Penistone East Ward	2,822	2,556	266	90.6%
20	Dearne North	778	705	73	90.6%
21	Stairfoot Ward, Worsbrough Ward	31	28	3	90.3%
22	Hoyland Milton	1,096	987	109	90.1%
23	Dodworth	1,245	1,118	127	89.8%
24	Penistone Ward, Penistone West Ward	1,649	1,475	174	89.4%
25	Old Town Ward	1,000	892	108	89.2%
26	Worsbrough Ward	875	780	95	89.1%
27	Cudworth	810	721	89	89.0%
28	North East Ward	1,019	903	116	88.6%
29	Darfield	964	852	112	88.4%
30	Darton East	1,209	1,066	143	88.2%
31	Royston Ward	920	801	119	87.1%
32	Penistone West Ward	710	615	95	86.6%
33	Penistone East Ward, Penistone Ward	328	280	48	85.4%
34	Penistone East Ward, Penistone West Ward	13	11	2	84.6%
35	Penistone Ward	12	10	2	83.3%
36	Penistone East Ward, Penistone Ward, Penistone West Ward	17	14	3	82.4%
37	Kingstone Ward	587	483	104	82.3%
38	Cudworth, Monk Bretton	15	12	3	80.0%
39	Stairfoot Ward, Wombwell Ward	13	10	3	76.9%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

A 23.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Dodworth, Old Town Ward approves 100.0% of applications while Stairfoot Ward, Wombwell Ward approves just 76.9%. That's a fundamentally different planning environment.

High volume doesn't mean high approval. Some of the busiest wards aren't the most permissive. The number of applications a ward processes tells you nothing about how likely yours is to succeed.

Ward averages are a starting point, not a guarantee. Your specific outcome depends on your property, your neighbours, your proposal type and the comparable decisions near your address.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

2,458 planning applications in Barnsley have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Barnsley

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Barnsley

All 39 wards ranked

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

What the data tells us

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

More Barnsley planning data