Which ward in Guildford has the highest planning approval rate?

Ash Vale at 91.0% based on 122 decisions.

Which ward in Guildford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Effingham at 77.2% based on 571 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Guildford?

There is a 13.8% gap between Ash Vale and Effingham. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Guildford

Planning outcomes in Guildford 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.

17,793 real decisions·21 wards·Updated June 2026

82.0% approved overall. But 3,200 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Guildford shifts your odds by up to 13.8%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 21 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Ash Vale	122	111	11	91.0%
2	Ash South	149	132	17	88.6%
3	Merrow	663	578	85	87.2%
4	Burpham	528	456	72	86.4%
5	St Nicolas	244	210	34	86.1%
6	Stoughton South	128	109	19	85.2%
7	Shalford	934	795	139	85.1%
8	Onslow	773	656	117	84.9%
9	Castle	920	771	149	83.8%
10	Westborough	523	431	92	82.4%
11	Normandy & Pirbright	427	351	76	82.2%
12	Clandon & Horsley	2,129	1,734	395	81.4%
13	Stoughton North	440	358	82	81.4%
14	Ash Wharf	129	105	24	81.4%
15	Tillingbourne	1,416	1,148	268	81.1%
16	Worplesdon	1,045	845	200	80.9%
17	Send & Lovelace	695	559	136	80.4%
18	Bellfields & Slyfield	134	107	27	79.9%
19	Stoke	617	491	126	79.6%
20	Pilgrims	857	672	185	78.4%
21	Effingham	571	441	130	77.2%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Ash Vale but face serious resistance in Effingham.
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. Ash Vale approves 91.0% of applications while Effingham approves just 77.2%. 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

3,200 planning applications in Guildford 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 Guildford planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 17,793 planning decisions in Guildford, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Guildford Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →