Which ward in Bristol has the highest planning approval rate?

Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze at 90.4% based on 1,969 decisions.

Which ward in Bristol has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hartcliffe & Withywood at 79.1% based on 364 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Bristol?

There is a 11.3% 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 11.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

24,529 real decisions·34 wards·Updated March 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze	1,969	1,780	189	90.4%
2	Bishopsworth	492	442	50	89.8%
3	Stoke Bishop	1,177	1,051	126	89.3%
4	Central	1,807	1,603	204	88.7%
5	Hengrove & Whitchurch Park	593	526	67	88.7%
6	Knowle	613	542	71	88.4%
7	Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston	983	867	116	88.2%
8	Clifton	1,407	1,240	167	88.1%
9	Brislington East	479	422	57	88.1%
10	Bedminster	710	624	86	87.9%
11	Bishopston & Ashley Down	786	690	96	87.8%
12	Windmill Hill	596	523	73	87.8%
13	Henbury & Brentry	445	390	55	87.6%
14	Easton	564	492	72	87.2%
15	Redland	940	818	122	87.0%
16	Cotham	686	597	89	87.0%
17	Brislington West	606	527	79	87.0%
18	Lawrence Hill	767	665	102	86.7%
19	St George West	246	213	33	86.6%
20	Clifton Down	911	785	126	86.2%
21	Hotwells & Harbourside	507	436	71	86.0%
22	Lockleaze	586	503	83	85.8%
23	Stockwood	403	344	59	85.4%
24	Southville	902	769	133	85.3%
25	Eastville	580	494	86	85.2%
26	St George Central	458	390	68	85.2%
27	Southmead	383	321	62	83.8%
28	Horfield	651	544	107	83.6%
29	Ashley	1,089	907	182	83.3%
30	Filwood	318	262	56	82.4%
31	Frome Vale	707	582	125	82.3%
32	Hillfields	504	413	91	81.9%
33	St George Troopers Hill	203	166	37	81.8%
34	Hartcliffe & Withywood	364	288	76	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.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 11.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze approves 90.4% 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

3,225 planning applications in Bristol 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.

Check My Postcode First

Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Bristol planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 24,529 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 →