Which ward in Dover has the highest planning approval rate?

CASTLE at 100.0% based on 12 decisions.

Which ward in Dover has the lowest planning approval rate?

Tower Hamlets at 86.2% based on 58 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Dover?

There is a 13.8% gap between CASTLE and Tower Hamlets. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Dover

Planning outcomes in Dover are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 13.8% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,755 real decisions·24 wards·Updated March 2026

93.2% approved overall. But 461 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Dover shifts your odds by up to 13.8%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

All 24 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	CASTLE	12	12	0	100.0%
2	ST MARGARETS AT CLIFFE	32	32	0	100.0%
3	AYLESHAM	65	63	2	96.9%
4	Whitfield	346	333	13	96.2%
5	Sandwich	700	672	28	96.0%
6	Middle Deal	183	175	8	95.6%
7	Dover Downs And River	368	348	20	94.6%
8	Guston Kingsdown St Margarets-at-Cliffe	738	693	45	93.9%
9	MIDDLE DEAL AND SHOLDEN	16	15	1	93.8%
10	Walmer	368	345	23	93.8%
11	North Deal	528	494	34	93.6%
12	Mill Hill	280	260	20	92.9%
13	Aylesham, Eythorne And Shepherdswell	532	493	39	92.7%
14	Town And Castle	388	359	29	92.5%
15	Alkham And Capel-le-Ferne	236	218	18	92.4%
16	Buckland	52	48	4	92.3%
17	Eastry Rural	597	544	53	91.1%
18	Maxton And Elms Vale	56	51	5	91.1%
19	St Radigunds	165	150	15	90.9%
20	Little Stour And Ashstone	838	754	84	90.0%
21	RINGWOULD	10	9	1	90.0%
22	EYTHORNE AND SHEPHERDSWELL	25	22	3	88.0%
23	CAPEL_LE_FERNE	16	14	2	87.5%
24	Tower Hamlets	58	50	8	86.2%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in CASTLE but face serious resistance in Tower Hamlets.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 13.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. CASTLE approves 100.0% of applications while Tower Hamlets approves just 86.2%. 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

461 planning applications in Dover 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 Dover planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,755 planning decisions in Dover, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Dover Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →