Which ward in Brighton & Hove has the highest planning approval rate?

Patcham at 100.0% based on 11 decisions.

Which ward in Brighton & Hove has the lowest planning approval rate?

Rottingdean Coastal at 71.4% based on 14 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Brighton & Hove?

There is a 28.6% gap between Patcham and Rottingdean Coastal. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Brighton & Hove

Planning outcomes in Brighton & Hove are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 28.6% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

3,163 real decisions·28 wards·Updated March 2026

All 28 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Patcham	11	11	0	100.0%
2	North Portslade	33	32	1	97.0%
3	Round Hill	70	67	3	95.7%
4	Coldean & Stanmer	62	59	3	95.2%
5	Hollingdean & Fiveways	139	132	7	95.0%
6	Westbourne & Poets' Corner	137	129	8	94.2%
7	South Portslade	80	75	5	93.8%
8	Wish	124	116	8	93.5%
9	Whitehawk & Marina	44	41	3	93.2%
10	Westdene & Hove Park	277	258	19	93.1%
11	Patcham & Hollingbury	177	164	13	92.7%
12	Goldsmid	189	174	15	92.1%
13	Hollingdean And Stanmer	12	11	1	91.7%
14	St. Peter's And North Laine	12	11	1	91.7%
15	Brunswick & Adelaide	121	110	11	90.9%
16	Rottingdean & West Saltdean	178	161	17	90.4%
17	Central Hove	132	118	14	89.4%
18	Queen's Park	95	84	11	88.4%
19	Woodingdean	93	82	11	88.2%
20	Moulsecoomb & Bevendean	49	43	6	87.8%
21	Preston Park	194	170	24	87.6%
22	Kemptown	168	146	22	86.9%
23	Hangleton & Knoll	97	84	13	86.6%
24	Hanover & Elm Grove	91	78	13	85.7%
25	West Hill & North Laine	175	150	25	85.7%
26	Regency	287	240	47	83.6%
27	Withdean	14	10	4	71.4%
28	Rottingdean Coastal	14	10	4	71.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Patcham but face serious resistance in Rottingdean Coastal.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 28.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. Patcham approves 100.0% of applications while Rottingdean Coastal approves just 71.4%. 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

324 planning applications in Brighton & Hove 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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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Brighton & Hove planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 3,163 planning decisions in Brighton & Hove, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Brighton & Hove Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →