Which ward in Horsham has the highest planning approval rate?

Holbrook West at 97.5% based on 399 decisions.

Which ward in Horsham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead at 87.9% based on 667 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Horsham?

There is a 9.6% gap between Holbrook West and Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Horsham

Planning outcomes in Horsham are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 9.6% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

12,372 real decisions·22 wards·Updated March 2026

All 22 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Holbrook West	399	389	10	97.5%
2	Holbrook East	211	205	6	97.2%
3	Roffey South	294	285	9	96.9%
4	Steyning and Ashurst	596	565	31	94.8%
5	Denne	756	709	47	93.8%
6	Trafalgar	372	349	23	93.8%
7	Forest	537	497	40	92.6%
8	West Chiltington, Thakeham and Ashington	1,168	1,075	93	92.0%
9	Roffey North	285	262	23	91.9%
10	Broadbridge Heath	217	199	18	91.7%
11	Billingshurst	956	875	81	91.5%
12	Southwater North	364	330	34	90.7%
13	Bramber, Upper Beeding and Woodmancote	545	492	53	90.3%
14	Henfield	595	535	60	89.9%
15	Pulborough, Coldwaltham and Amberley	479	429	50	89.6%
16	Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham	823	737	86	89.6%
17	Southwater South and Shipley	515	460	55	89.3%
18	Colgate and Rusper	779	696	83	89.3%
19	Rudgwick	408	363	45	89.0%
20	Storrington and Washington	825	730	95	88.5%
21	Nuthurst and Lower Beeding	563	497	66	88.3%
22	Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead	667	586	81	87.9%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Holbrook West but face serious resistance in Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 9.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. Holbrook West approves 97.5% of applications while Cowfold, Shermanbury and West Grinstead approves just 87.9%. 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

1,090 planning applications in Horsham 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 Horsham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 12,372 planning decisions in Horsham, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Horsham Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →