Which ward in Cambridge has the highest planning approval rate?

Orwell And Barrington at 100.0% based on 16 decisions.

Which ward in Cambridge has the lowest planning approval rate?

Coleridge at 89.6% based on 221 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Cambridge?

There is a 10.4% gap between Orwell And Barrington and Coleridge. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Cambridge

Planning outcomes in Cambridge are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 10.4% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

4,752 real decisions·43 wards·Updated September 2026

All 43 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Orwell And Barrington	16	16	0	100.0%
2	-	12	12	0	100.0%
3	Newnham	632	620	12	98.1%
4	Kings Hedges	92	90	2	97.8%
5	Market	711	693	18	97.5%
6	Petersfield	422	411	11	97.4%
7	Trumpington	379	368	11	97.1%
8	Cambourne	190	184	6	96.8%
9	Swavesey	158	153	5	96.8%
10	Milton & Waterbeach	356	344	12	96.6%
11	Whittlesford	249	240	9	96.4%
12	Histon & Impington	375	361	14	96.3%
13	Harston & Comberton	528	506	22	95.8%
14	Castle	397	380	17	95.7%
15	East Chesterton	209	200	9	95.7%
16	Hardwick	137	131	6	95.6%
17	Romsey	327	312	15	95.4%
18	Fen Ditton & Fulbourn	518	493	25	95.2%
19	Caxton & Papworth	312	297	15	95.2%
20	Longstanton	208	198	10	95.2%
21	Duxford	321	305	16	95.0%
22	Girton	260	247	13	95.0%
23	West Chesterton	413	391	22	94.7%
24	Milton (Detached)	19	18	1	94.7%
25	Caldecote	253	239	14	94.5%
26	The Mordens	246	231	15	93.9%
27	Queen Ediths	415	388	27	93.5%
28	Shelford	557	520	37	93.4%
29	Over & Willingham	265	247	18	93.2%
30	Bar Hill	42	39	3	92.9%
31	Cottenham	276	256	20	92.8%
32	Abbey	256	237	19	92.6%
33	Balsham	238	220	18	92.4%
34	Melbourn	355	327	28	92.1%
35	Arbury	210	193	17	91.9%
36	Foxton	270	248	22	91.9%
37	Sawston	191	175	16	91.6%
38	Linton	403	368	35	91.3%
39	Gamlingay	167	152	15	91.0%
40	Cherry Hinton	176	160	16	90.9%
41	Bassingbourn	181	164	17	90.6%
42	Barrington	233	209	24	89.7%
43	Coleridge	221	198	23	89.6%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

A 10.4% gap separates the best and worst wards. Orwell And Barrington approves 100.0% of applications while Coleridge approves just 89.6%. 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

362 planning applications in Cambridge 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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More Cambridge planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 4,752 planning decisions in Cambridge, January 2020 to September 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Cambridge Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →