Which ward in Guildford has the highest planning approval rate?

Ash Vale at 92.0% based on 112 decisions.

Which ward in Guildford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Effingham at 76.9% based on 540 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Guildford?

There is a 15.1% 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 15.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

16,972 real decisions·21 wards·Updated March 2026

81.7% approved overall. But 3,104 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Guildford shifts your odds by up to 15.1%. 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	112	103	9	92.0%
2	Ash South	133	117	16	88.0%
3	Merrow	639	557	82	87.2%
4	Burpham	497	426	71	85.7%
5	Shalford	887	758	129	85.5%
6	St Nicolas	226	193	33	85.4%
7	Onslow	740	627	113	84.7%
8	Stoughton South	109	91	18	83.5%
9	Castle	813	670	143	82.4%
10	Westborough	495	407	88	82.2%
11	Stoughton North	430	350	80	81.4%
12	Normandy & Pirbright	379	307	72	81.0%
13	Clandon & Horsley	2,032	1,644	388	80.9%
14	Tillingbourne	1,351	1,093	258	80.9%
15	Worplesdon	991	795	196	80.2%
16	Ash Wharf	116	93	23	80.2%
17	Send & Lovelace	633	507	126	80.1%
18	Stoke	578	457	121	79.1%
19	Pilgrims	807	635	172	78.7%
20	Bellfields & Slyfield	117	92	25	78.6%
21	Effingham	540	415	125	76.9%

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 15.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Ash Vale approves 92.0% of applications while Effingham approves just 76.9%. 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

3,104 planning applications in Guildford 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 Guildford planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 16,972 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 →