Which ward in Bristol has the highest planning approval rate?

Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze at 90.4% based on 2,095 decisions.

Which ward in Bristol has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hartcliffe & Withywood at 79.3% based on 382 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Bristol?

There is a 11.1% 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 11.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

25,848 real decisions·34 wards·Updated August 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze	2,095	1,893	202	90.4%
2	Stoke Bishop	1,260	1,131	129	89.8%
3	Bishopsworth	511	457	54	89.4%
4	Central	1,920	1,707	213	88.9%
5	Hengrove & Whitchurch Park	612	543	69	88.7%
6	Clifton	1,518	1,340	178	88.3%
7	Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston	1,029	907	122	88.1%
8	Brislington East	497	438	59	88.1%
9	Bishopston & Ashley Down	814	715	99	87.8%
10	Bedminster	743	652	91	87.8%
11	Henbury & Brentry	468	410	58	87.6%
12	Cotham	764	669	95	87.6%
13	Knowle	639	560	79	87.6%
14	Windmill Hill	616	539	77	87.5%
15	Brislington West	628	549	79	87.4%
16	Redland	997	868	129	87.1%
17	Easton	588	511	77	86.9%
18	Clifton Down	977	849	128	86.9%
19	St George West	259	225	34	86.9%
20	Lawrence Hill	802	695	107	86.7%
21	Lockleaze	610	526	84	86.2%
22	Hotwells & Harbourside	539	464	75	86.1%
23	Eastville	608	521	87	85.7%
24	St George Central	481	410	71	85.2%
25	Stockwood	414	352	62	85.0%
26	Southville	938	797	141	85.0%
27	Ashley	1,143	959	184	83.9%
28	Southmead	401	335	66	83.5%
29	Horfield	679	565	114	83.2%
30	Frome Vale	741	615	126	83.0%
31	Filwood	331	273	58	82.5%
32	St George Troopers Hill	213	175	38	82.2%
33	Hillfields	531	433	98	81.5%
34	Hartcliffe & Withywood	382	303	79	79.3%

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 11.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze approves 90.4% of applications while Hartcliffe & Withywood approves just 79.3%. 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

3,371 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 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Bristol planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 25,848 planning decisions in Bristol, January 2020 to August 2026. 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 →