Which ward in Bristol has the highest planning approval rate?

Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze at 90.5% based on 2,050 decisions.

Which ward in Bristol has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hartcliffe & Withywood at 79.1% based on 378 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Bristol?

There is a 11.4% gap between Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze and Hartcliffe & Withywood. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Bristol

Planning outcomes in Bristol are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 11.4% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

25,431 real decisions·34 wards·Updated June 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze	2,050	1,855	195	90.5%
2	Stoke Bishop	1,238	1,109	129	89.6%
3	Bishopsworth	503	450	53	89.5%
4	Central	1,887	1,675	212	88.8%
5	Hengrove & Whitchurch Park	606	538	68	88.8%
6	Clifton	1,475	1,305	170	88.5%
7	Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston	1,014	893	121	88.1%
8	Brislington East	490	431	59	88.0%
9	Bishopston & Ashley Down	805	707	98	87.8%
10	Henbury & Brentry	460	404	56	87.8%
11	Bedminster	733	643	90	87.7%
12	Knowle	631	553	78	87.6%
13	Windmill Hill	609	533	76	87.5%
14	Brislington West	622	543	79	87.3%
15	Cotham	737	643	94	87.2%
16	Easton	580	504	76	86.9%
17	Redland	977	848	129	86.8%
18	Clifton Down	956	830	126	86.8%
19	Lawrence Hill	788	683	105	86.7%
20	St George West	256	222	34	86.7%
21	Hotwells & Harbourside	528	456	72	86.4%
22	Lockleaze	603	519	84	86.1%
23	Eastville	602	515	87	85.5%
24	St George Central	475	406	69	85.5%
25	Stockwood	410	348	62	84.9%
26	Southville	931	790	141	84.9%
27	Ashley	1,130	946	184	83.7%
28	Horfield	671	560	111	83.5%
29	Southmead	397	331	66	83.4%
30	Filwood	329	273	56	83.0%
31	Frome Vale	727	601	126	82.7%
32	St George Troopers Hill	211	173	38	82.0%
33	Hillfields	522	426	96	81.6%
34	Hartcliffe & Withywood	378	299	79	79.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze but face serious resistance in Hartcliffe & Withywood.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 11.4% gap separates the best and worst wards. Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze approves 90.5% of applications while Hartcliffe & Withywood approves just 79.1%. 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

3,328 planning applications in Bristol have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A free, property-specific report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Bristol planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 25,431 planning decisions in Bristol, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Bristol Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →