Which ward in Forest of Dean has the highest planning approval rate?

Cinderford West at 95.1% based on 162 decisions.

Which ward in Forest of Dean has the lowest planning approval rate?

Ruspidge at 85.9% based on 78 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Forest of Dean?

There is a 9.2% gap between Cinderford West and Ruspidge. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Forest of Dean

Planning outcomes in Forest of Dean are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 9.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,291 real decisions·21 wards·Updated June 2026

90.7% approved overall. But 583 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Forest of Dean shifts your odds by up to 9.2%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Forest of Dean

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All 21 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Cinderford West	162	154	8	95.1%
2	Lydney West & Aylburton	152	144	8	94.7%
3	Lydney East	270	255	15	94.4%
4	Berry Hill	234	220	14	94.0%
5	Newland & Sling	273	255	18	93.4%
6	Newnham	566	527	39	93.1%
7	Coleford	342	318	24	93.0%
8	St Briavels	353	327	26	92.6%
9	Pillowell	181	166	15	91.7%
10	Cinderford East	153	140	13	91.5%
11	Newent & Taynton	489	444	45	90.8%
12	Longhope & Huntley	455	412	43	90.5%
13	Tidenham	408	367	41	90.0%
14	Lydney North	66	59	7	89.4%
15	Lydbrook	127	113	14	89.0%
16	Bream	249	221	28	88.8%
17	Mitcheldean, Ruardean & Drybrook	391	344	47	88.0%
18	Hartpury & Redmarley	759	667	92	87.9%
19	Westbury-on-Severn	286	251	35	87.8%
20	Dymock	287	248	39	86.4%
21	Ruspidge	78	67	11	85.9%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Cinderford West but face serious resistance in Ruspidge.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 9.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Cinderford West approves 95.1% of applications while Ruspidge approves just 85.9%. 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

583 planning applications in Forest of Dean 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Forest of Dean planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,291 planning decisions in Forest of Dean, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Forest of Dean Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →