Which ward in Exeter has the highest planning approval rate?

Heavitree at 93.7% based on 463 decisions.

Which ward in Exeter has the lowest planning approval rate?

Mincinglake And Whipton at 84.4% based on 212 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Exeter?

There is a 9.3% gap between Heavitree and Mincinglake And Whipton. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Exeter

Planning outcomes in Exeter are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 9.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

7,254 real decisions·13 wards·Updated August 2026

90.9% approved overall. But 663 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Exeter shifts your odds by up to 9.3%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 13 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Heavitree	463	434	29	93.7%
2	Alphington	594	556	38	93.6%
3	Newtown And St Leonards	946	882	64	93.2%
4	St Davids	1,009	930	79	92.2%
5	Topsham	1,019	923	96	90.6%
6	Pennsylvania	418	378	40	90.4%
7	Duryard And St James	742	670	72	90.3%
8	Pinhoe	419	373	46	89.0%
9	Priory	338	298	40	88.2%
10	St Loyes	384	337	47	87.8%
11	Exwick	203	178	25	87.7%
12	St Thomas	348	300	48	86.2%
13	Mincinglake And Whipton	212	179	33	84.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Heavitree but face serious resistance in Mincinglake And Whipton.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 9.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Heavitree approves 93.7% of applications while Mincinglake And Whipton approves just 84.4%. 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

663 planning applications in Exeter 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 Exeter planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 7,254 planning decisions in Exeter, January 2020 to August 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Exeter Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →