Which ward in East Cambridgeshire has the highest planning approval rate?

Ely South at 96.4% based on 55 decisions.

Which ward in East Cambridgeshire has the lowest planning approval rate?

Fordham Villages at 82.7% based on 127 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across East Cambridgeshire?

There is a 13.7% gap between Ely South and Fordham Villages. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in East Cambridgeshire

Planning outcomes in East Cambridgeshire are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 13.7% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

10,928 real decisions·23 wards·Updated March 2026

90.5% approved overall. But 1,043 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in East Cambridgeshire shifts your odds by up to 13.7%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 23 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Ely South	55	53	2	96.4%
2	Dullingham Villages	60	57	3	95.0%
3	Bottisham	885	826	59	93.3%
4	Ely West	1,014	946	68	93.3%
5	Ely East	876	815	61	93.0%
6	Ely North	427	395	32	92.5%
7	Burwell	885	817	68	92.3%
8	Cheveley	140	129	11	92.1%
9	Soham South	683	625	58	91.5%
10	Isleham	76	69	7	90.8%
11	Sutton	608	547	61	90.0%
12	The Swaffhams	79	71	8	89.9%
13	Stretham	793	707	86	89.2%
14	Haddenham	493	440	53	89.2%
15	Woodditton	1,114	991	123	89.0%
16	Fordham And Isleham	841	744	97	88.5%
17	Littleport	507	448	59	88.4%
18	Littleport East	75	66	9	88.0%
19	Soham North	562	490	72	87.2%
20	Downham	430	374	56	87.0%
21	Downham Villages	152	132	20	86.8%
22	Littleport West	40	34	6	85.0%
23	Fordham Villages	127	105	22	82.7%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Ely South but face serious resistance in Fordham Villages.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 13.7% gap separates the best and worst wards. Ely South approves 96.4% of applications while Fordham Villages approves just 82.7%. 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

1,043 planning applications in East Cambridgeshire 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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More East Cambridgeshire planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 10,928 planning decisions in East Cambridgeshire, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from East Cambridgeshire Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →