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?

North Lynn at 81.5% based on 27 decisions.

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

There is a 18.5% gap between North Downham and North Lynn. 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 18.5% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

1,980 real decisions·34 wards·Updated September 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	North Downham	15	15	0	100.0%
2	Gaywood North Bank	33	33	0	100.0%
3	Gaywood Chase	22	22	0	100.0%
4	Downham Old Town	63	62	1	98.4%
5	Wissey	61	59	2	96.7%
6	South Downham	29	28	1	96.6%
7	Hunstanton	76	73	3	96.1%
8	St. Margarets With St. Nicholas	146	140	6	95.9%
9	Springwood	43	41	2	95.3%
10	The Woottons	124	118	6	95.2%
11	East Downham	21	20	1	95.2%
12	Burnham Market And Docking	204	194	10	95.1%
13	Massingham With Castle Acre	123	117	6	95.1%
14	Airfield	97	92	5	94.8%
15	Snettisham	65	61	4	93.8%
16	Dersingham	103	96	7	93.2%
17	South And West Lynn	53	49	4	92.5%
18	Terrington	100	92	8	92.0%
19	Emneth And Outwell	81	74	7	91.4%
20	Clenchwarton	53	48	5	90.6%
21	Bircham With Rudhams	105	95	10	90.5%
22	West Winch	82	74	8	90.2%
23	Brancaster	241	217	24	90.0%
24	Watlington	20	18	2	90.0%
25	Upwell And Delph	169	152	17	89.9%
26	Methwold	74	66	8	89.2%
27	Denver	43	38	5	88.4%
28	Gayton And Grimston	129	114	15	88.4%
29	Feltwell	78	67	11	85.9%
30	Gaywood Clock	14	12	2	85.7%
31	Tilney, Mershe Lande And Wiggenhall	92	78	14	84.8%
32	Walsoken, West Walton And Walpole	103	87	16	84.5%
33	Heacham	116	96	20	82.8%
34	North Lynn	27	22	5	81.5%

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 North Lynn.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 18.5% gap separates the best and worst wards. North Downham approves 100.0% of applications while North Lynn approves just 81.5%. 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

186 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 1,980 planning decisions in King's Lynn & West Norfolk, January 2020 to September 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 →