Which ward in Leeds has the highest planning approval rate?

Little London & Woodhouse at 94.1% based on 3,042 decisions.

Which ward in Leeds has the lowest planning approval rate?

Gipton & Harehills at 77.8% based on 779 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Leeds?

There is a 16.3% gap between Little London & Woodhouse and Gipton & Harehills. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Leeds

Planning outcomes in Leeds are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 16.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

45,799 real decisions·33 wards·Updated August 2026

All 33 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Little London & Woodhouse	3,042	2,863	179	94.1%
2	Hunslet & Riverside	1,400	1,279	121	91.4%
3	Horsforth	2,436	2,171	265	89.1%
4	Morley South	904	804	100	88.9%
5	Kirkstall	795	707	88	88.9%
6	Beeston & Holbeck	1,044	927	117	88.8%
7	Guiseley & Rawdon	2,113	1,863	250	88.2%
8	Weetwood	1,498	1,315	183	87.8%
9	Morley North	1,157	1,015	142	87.7%
10	Wetherby	2,339	2,050	289	87.6%
11	Moortown	1,432	1,251	181	87.4%
12	Killingbeck & Seacroft	652	567	85	87.0%
13	Adel & Wharfedale	2,465	2,143	322	86.9%
14	Roundhay	2,393	2,079	314	86.9%
15	Bramley & Stanningley	606	526	80	86.8%
16	Calverley & Farsley	1,671	1,445	226	86.5%
17	Ardsley & Robin Hood	881	762	119	86.5%
18	Pudsey	1,120	964	156	86.1%
19	Farnley & Wortley	813	693	120	85.2%
20	Temple Newsam	1,103	939	164	85.1%
21	Armley	756	643	113	85.1%
22	Otley & Yeadon	1,578	1,342	236	85.0%
23	Middleton Park	505	428	77	84.8%
24	Burmantofts & Richmond Hill	794	672	122	84.6%
25	Crossgates & Whinmoor	874	738	136	84.4%
26	Harewood	2,923	2,452	471	83.9%
27	Rothwell	1,082	904	178	83.5%
28	Alwoodley	1,637	1,361	276	83.1%
29	Headingley & Hyde Park	1,789	1,472	317	82.3%
30	Garforth & Swillington	1,077	886	191	82.3%
31	Kippax & Methley	894	736	158	82.3%
32	Chapel Allerton	1,226	1,004	222	81.9%
33	Gipton & Harehills	779	606	173	77.8%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Little London & Woodhouse but face serious resistance in Gipton & Harehills.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 16.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Little London & Woodhouse approves 94.1% of applications while Gipton & Harehills approves just 77.8%. 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

6,174 planning applications in Leeds 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 Leeds planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 45,799 planning decisions in Leeds, January 2020 to August 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Leeds Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →