Which ward in County Durham has the highest planning approval rate?

Horden (Historic) at 100.0% based on 54 decisions.

Which ward in County Durham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Annfield Plain And Tanfield at 81.2% based on 32 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across County Durham?

There is a 18.8% gap between Horden (Historic) and Annfield Plain And Tanfield. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

County Durham Planning Approval Rates by Ward: 113 Wards Compared (2026)

All 113 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Horden (Historic)	54	54	0	100.0%
2	Deneside (Historic)	50	50	0	100.0%
3	Ferryhill	54	54	0	100.0%
4	Castle Eden And Passfield	44	44	0	100.0%
5	Aycliffe North And Middridge	27	27	0	100.0%
6	Pittington And Sherburn	19	19	0	100.0%
7	Peterlee	19	19	0	100.0%
8	Bishop Middleham And Cornforth (Historic)	78	77	1	98.7%
9	Bishop Auckland Town (Historic)	276	272	4	98.6%
10	Barnard Castle	69	68	1	98.6%
11	Lumley And West Rainton	73	72	1	98.6%
12	Chester-le-Street South	125	123	2	98.4%
13	Sacriston And Witton Gilbert	55	54	1	98.2%
14	Spennymoor	56	55	1	98.2%
15	Chester-le-Street North (Historic)	53	52	1	98.1%
16	Passfield (Historic)	54	53	1	98.1%
17	Consett North (Historic)	125	122	3	97.6%
18	Chester-le-Street East (Historic)	80	78	2	97.5%
19	Durham South (Historic)	163	159	4	97.5%
20	West Auckland (Historic)	196	191	5	97.4%
21	Peterlee East (Historic)	74	72	2	97.3%
22	Barnard Castle West (Historic)	791	770	21	97.3%
23	Framwellgate And Newton Hall (Historic)	301	293	8	97.3%
24	Sedgefield (Historic)	369	359	10	97.3%
25	Esh And Witton Gilbert (Historic)	260	253	7	97.3%
26	Aycliffe West (Historic)	36	35	1	97.2%
27	Lumley (Historic)	170	165	5	97.1%
28	Woodhouse Close (Historic)	100	97	3	97.0%
29	Crook (Historic)	191	185	6	96.9%
30	Barnard Castle East (Historic)	608	588	20	96.7%
31	Belmont (Historic)	362	350	12	96.7%
32	Spennymoor (Historic)	183	177	6	96.7%
33	Dalton And Dawdon	30	29	1	96.7%
34	Tudhoe	59	57	2	96.6%
35	Seaham (Historic)	144	139	5	96.5%
36	Stanley (Historic)	55	53	2	96.4%
37	Aycliffe East (Historic)	193	186	7	96.4%
38	Aycliffe North And Middridge (Historic)	77	74	3	96.1%
39	Chilton (Historic)	101	97	4	96.0%
40	North Lodge	25	24	1	96.0%
41	Peterlee West (Historic)	73	70	3	95.9%
42	Sacriston (Historic)	121	116	5	95.9%
43	Deerness (Historic)	215	206	9	95.8%
44	Sherburn (Historic)	211	202	9	95.7%
45	Weardale (Historic)	651	623	28	95.7%
46	Shildon And Dene Valley (Historic)	208	199	9	95.7%
47	Framwellgate And Newton Hall	90	86	4	95.6%
48	Pelton	45	43	2	95.6%
49	Chester-le-Street West Central (Historic)	111	106	5	95.5%
50	Stanley	44	42	2	95.5%
51	Chilton	22	21	1	95.5%
52	Tow Law (Historic)	106	101	5	95.3%
53	Benfieldside (Historic)	191	182	9	95.3%
54	Easington (Historic)	190	181	9	95.3%
55	Brandon	43	41	2	95.3%
56	Tudhoe (Historic)	189	180	9	95.2%
57	Coxhoe (Historic)	320	304	16	95.0%
58	Trimdon And Thornley (Historic)	180	171	9	95.0%
59	Aycliffe South	80	76	4	95.0%
60	West Auckland	75	71	4	94.7%
61	North Lodge (Historic)	111	105	6	94.6%
62	Delves Lane (Historic)	92	87	5	94.6%
63	Burnopfield And Dipton (Historic)	141	133	8	94.3%
64	Neville's Cross	137	129	8	94.2%
65	Brandon (Historic)	185	174	11	94.1%
66	Chester-le-Street North	49	46	3	93.9%
67	Pelton (Historic)	162	152	10	93.8%
68	Annfield Plain (Historic)	81	76	5	93.8%
69	Coundon (Historic)	64	60	4	93.8%
70	Murton (Historic)	129	121	8	93.8%
71	Blackhalls And Hesledens	16	15	1	93.8%
72	Leadgate And Medomsley (Historic)	318	298	20	93.7%
73	Evenwood (Historic)	334	313	21	93.7%
74	Ferryhill (Historic)	111	104	7	93.7%
75	Deerness	63	59	4	93.7%
76	Murton	62	58	4	93.5%
77	Elvet And Gilesgate (Historic)	822	767	55	93.3%
78	Bishop Auckland	90	84	6	93.3%
79	Lanchester (Historic)	364	339	25	93.1%
80	Craghead And South Moor (Historic)	58	54	4	93.1%
81	Bowburn And Coxhoe	102	95	7	93.1%
82	Consett South (Historic)	43	40	3	93.0%
83	Easington And Shotton	85	79	6	92.9%
84	Tanfield (Historic)	166	154	12	92.8%
85	Upper Teesdale	186	172	14	92.5%
86	Thornley And Wheatley Hill	40	37	3	92.5%
87	Dawdon (Historic)	132	122	10	92.4%
88	Lanchester And Burnhope	78	72	6	92.3%
89	Neville's Cross (Historic)	606	559	47	92.2%
90	Benfieldside	51	47	4	92.2%
91	Langley And Esh	51	47	4	92.2%
92	Shildon And Dene Valley	63	58	5	92.1%
93	Elvet, Gilesgate And Shincliffe	259	238	21	91.9%
94	Belmont	99	91	8	91.9%
95	Weardale	145	133	12	91.7%
96	Delves Lane	35	32	3	91.4%
97	Blackhalls (Historic)	206	188	18	91.3%
98	Willington And Hunwick (Historic)	240	219	21	91.2%
99	Lower Teesdale	146	133	13	91.1%
100	Wingate (Historic)	44	40	4	90.9%
101	Trimdon And Wingate	44	40	4	90.9%
102	Craghead And South Moor	11	10	1	90.9%
103	Shotton And South Hetton (Historic)	119	108	11	90.8%
104	Sedgefield	96	87	9	90.6%
105	Derwent And Pont Valley	95	86	9	90.5%
106	Consett South	21	19	2	90.5%
107	Consett North	26	23	3	88.5%
108	Willington And Hunwick	51	45	6	88.2%
109	Evenwood	54	47	7	87.0%
110	Crook	88	76	12	86.4%
111	Horden And Dene House	35	29	6	82.9%
112	Seaham	34	28	6	82.4%
113	Annfield Plain And Tanfield	32	26	6	81.2%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1

A 18.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. Horden (Historic) approves 100.0% of applications while Annfield Plain And Tanfield approves just 81.2%. That's a fundamentally different planning environment.

2

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.

3

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.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in County Durham

Check Planning Approval Patterns in County Durham

All 113 wards ranked

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

What the data tells us

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

More County Durham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns