Which ward in King's Lynn & West Norfolk has the highest planning approval rate?

North Downham at 100.0% based on 15 decisions.

Which ward in King's Lynn & West Norfolk has the lowest planning approval rate?

Gaywood Clock at 83.3% based on 12 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across King's Lynn & West Norfolk?

There is a 16.7% gap between North Downham and Gaywood Clock. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in King's Lynn & West Norfolk

Planning outcomes in King's Lynn & West Norfolk are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 16.7% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

2,655 real decisions·34 wards·Updated August 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	North Downham	15	15	0	100.0%
2	Gaywood North Bank	32	32	0	100.0%
3	Gaywood Chase	20	20	0	100.0%
4	Downham Old Town	61	60	1	98.4%
5	South Downham	29	28	1	96.6%
6	Wissey	57	55	2	96.5%
7	Burnham Market And Docking	194	186	8	95.9%
8	Hunstanton	71	68	3	95.8%
9	Massingham With Castle Acre	118	113	5	95.8%
10	Airfield	92	88	4	95.7%
11	St. Margarets With St. Nicholas	134	128	6	95.5%
12	Springwood	42	40	2	95.2%
13	East Downham	20	19	1	95.0%
14	The Woottons	118	112	6	94.9%
15	Snettisham	62	58	4	93.5%
16	Dersingham	100	93	7	93.0%
17	Terrington	95	88	7	92.6%
18	South And West Lynn	51	47	4	92.2%
19	Bircham With Rudhams	93	85	8	91.4%
20	Emneth And Outwell	79	72	7	91.1%
21	Brancaster	222	201	21	90.5%
22	Methwold	63	57	6	90.5%
23	Denver	41	37	4	90.2%
24	West Winch	81	73	8	90.1%
25	Watlington	20	18	2	90.0%
26	Upwell And Delph	164	147	17	89.6%
27	Clenchwarton	47	42	5	89.4%
28	Gayton And Grimston	125	111	14	88.8%
29	Walsoken, West Walton And Walpole	91	79	12	86.8%
30	Feltwell	75	64	11	85.3%
31	Tilney, Mershe Lande And Wiggenhall	82	69	13	84.1%
32	North Lynn	25	21	4	84.0%
33	Heacham	108	90	18	83.3%
34	Gaywood Clock	12	10	2	83.3%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in North Downham but face serious resistance in Gaywood Clock.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 16.7% gap separates the best and worst wards. North Downham approves 100.0% of applications while Gaywood Clock approves just 83.3%. 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

215 planning applications in King's Lynn & West Norfolk 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 King's Lynn & West Norfolk planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 2,655 planning decisions in King's Lynn & West Norfolk, January 2020 to August 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from King's Lynn & West Norfolk Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →