Which ward in Fife has the highest planning approval rate?

Kirkcaldy Central at 96.6% based on 179 decisions.

Which ward in Fife has the lowest planning approval rate?

Lochgelly, Cardenden And Benarty at 80.6% based on 36 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Fife?

There is a 16.0% gap between Kirkcaldy Central and Lochgelly, Cardenden And Benarty. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Fife

Planning outcomes in Fife are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 16.0% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

5,321 real decisions·24 wards·Updated March 2026

All 24 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Kirkcaldy Central	179	173	6	96.6%
2	Kirkcaldy East	141	134	7	95.0%
3	Burntisland, Kinghorn And West Kirkcaldy	229	217	12	94.8%
4	Rosyth	115	109	6	94.8%
5	Dunfermline North	103	97	6	94.2%
6	Tay Bridgehead	203	189	14	93.1%
7	Kirkcaldy North	70	65	5	92.9%
8	Leven, Kennoway And Largo	233	215	18	92.3%
9	Glenrothes West And Kinglassie	75	69	6	92.0%
10	Dunfermline Central	301	276	25	91.7%
11	St. Andrews	657	602	55	91.6%
12	Dunfermline South	95	87	8	91.6%
13	West Fife And Coastal Villages	307	280	27	91.2%
14	Cupar	350	319	31	91.1%
15	Buckhaven, Methil And Wemyss Villages	96	87	9	90.6%
16	East Neuk And Landward	777	702	75	90.3%
17	Glenrothes North, Leslie And Markinch	200	179	21	89.5%
18	Cowdenbeath	119	105	14	88.2%
19	Inverkeithing And Dalgety Bay	218	191	27	87.6%
20	Howe Of Fife And Tay Coast	542	467	75	86.2%
21	Glenrothes Central And Thornton	134	115	19	85.8%
22	The Lochs	72	61	11	84.7%
23	Lochgelly And Cardenden	52	44	8	84.6%
24	Lochgelly, Cardenden And Benarty	36	29	7	80.6%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Kirkcaldy Central but face serious resistance in Lochgelly, Cardenden And Benarty.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 16.0% gap separates the best and worst wards. Kirkcaldy Central approves 96.6% of applications while Lochgelly, Cardenden And Benarty approves just 80.6%. 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

493 planning applications in Fife 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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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Fife planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 5,321 planning decisions in Fife, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Fife Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →