Which ward in Dorset has the highest planning approval rate?

Beaminster at 98.1% based on 103 decisions.

Which ward in Dorset has the lowest planning approval rate?

Stour and Allen Vale at 79.5% based on 190 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Dorset?

There is a 18.6% gap between Beaminster and Stour and Allen Vale. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Dorset

All 52 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Beaminster	103	101	2	98.1%
2	Winterborne and Broadmayne	135	132	3	97.8%
3	Chalk Valleys	231	225	6	97.4%
4	Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants	155	151	4	97.4%
5	Dorchester West	156	152	4	97.4%
6	Blackmore Vale	129	125	4	96.9%
7	West Purbeck	239	230	9	96.2%
8	Sturminster Newton	95	91	4	95.8%
9	Beacon	311	297	14	95.5%
10	Dorchester East	134	128	6	95.5%
11	Puddletown and Lower Winterborne	150	143	7	95.3%
12	Charminster St. Mary's	155	147	8	94.8%
13	Bridport	282	267	15	94.7%
14	Wimborne Minster	147	139	8	94.6%
15	Chesil Bank	233	220	13	94.4%
16	Sherborne West	83	78	5	94.0%
17	Sherborne East	116	109	7	94.0%
18	Shaftesbury Town	168	158	10	94.0%
19	Swanage	148	139	9	93.9%
20	Sherborne Rural	145	136	9	93.8%
21	Ward members	16	15	1	93.8%
22	Yetminster	174	163	11	93.7%
23	Littlemoor and Preston	110	103	7	93.6%
24	Gillingham	310	290	20	93.5%
25	Lyme and Charmouth	182	170	12	93.4%
26	Stalbridge and Marnhull	165	154	11	93.3%
27	Crossways	123	114	9	92.7%
28	St. Leonards and St. Ives	292	270	22	92.5%
29	South East Purbeck	238	220	18	92.4%
30	Upwey and Broadwey	118	109	9	92.4%
31	Cranborne Chase	119	110	9	92.4%
32	West Parley	117	108	9	92.3%
33	Colehill and Wimborne Minster East	192	177	15	92.2%
34	Blandford	166	153	13	92.2%
35	Cranborne and Alderholt	103	95	8	92.2%
36	Marshwood Vale	190	174	16	91.6%
37	Ferndown North	196	179	17	91.3%
38	Ferndown South	171	156	15	91.2%
39	Eggardon	176	160	16	90.9%
40	West Moors and Three Legged Cross	97	88	9	90.7%
41	Wareham	206	186	20	90.3%
42	Corfe Mullen	163	147	16	90.2%
43	Westham	30	27	3	90.0%
44	Rodwell and Wyke	186	166	20	89.2%
45	Radipole	105	93	12	88.6%
46	Portland	120	106	14	88.3%
47	Chickerell	66	57	9	86.4%
48	Lytchett Matravers and Upton	223	190	33	85.2%
49	Winterborne North	98	83	15	84.7%
50	Verwood	183	149	34	81.4%
51	Melcombe Regis	119	96	23	80.7%
52	Stour and Allen Vale	190	151	39	79.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

A 18.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. Beaminster approves 98.1% of applications while Stour and Allen Vale approves just 79.5%. 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

632 planning applications in Dorset 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.

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Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Dorset

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Dorset

All 52 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 Dorset planning data