Which ward in Leeds has the highest planning approval rate?

Little London & Woodhouse at 94.1% based on 2,993 decisions.

Which ward in Leeds has the lowest planning approval rate?

Gipton & Harehills at 78.0% based on 758 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Leeds?

There is a 16.1% 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 16.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

45,050 real decisions·33 wards·Updated June 2026

All 33 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Little London & Woodhouse	2,993	2,817	176	94.1%
2	Hunslet & Riverside	1,390	1,272	118	91.5%
3	Horsforth	2,405	2,143	262	89.1%
4	Morley South	898	800	98	89.1%
5	Kirkstall	784	698	86	89.0%
6	Beeston & Holbeck	1,031	914	117	88.7%
7	Guiseley & Rawdon	2,087	1,841	246	88.2%
8	Morley North	1,139	1,002	137	88.0%
9	Weetwood	1,469	1,289	180	87.7%
10	Wetherby	2,301	2,016	285	87.6%
11	Moortown	1,411	1,233	178	87.4%
12	Roundhay	2,353	2,047	306	87.0%
13	Adel & Wharfedale	2,413	2,096	317	86.9%
14	Killingbeck & Seacroft	642	558	84	86.9%
15	Bramley & Stanningley	602	522	80	86.7%
16	Calverley & Farsley	1,633	1,415	218	86.7%
17	Ardsley & Robin Hood	867	750	117	86.5%
18	Pudsey	1,098	945	153	86.1%
19	Temple Newsam	1,082	929	153	85.9%
20	Farnley & Wortley	806	688	118	85.4%
21	Otley & Yeadon	1,553	1,324	229	85.3%
22	Armley	747	635	112	85.0%
23	Burmantofts & Richmond Hill	770	654	116	84.9%
24	Middleton Park	501	425	76	84.8%
25	Crossgates & Whinmoor	860	724	136	84.2%
26	Harewood	2,877	2,413	464	83.9%
27	Rothwell	1,056	882	174	83.5%
28	Alwoodley	1,604	1,332	272	83.0%
29	Kippax & Methley	870	721	149	82.9%
30	Headingley & Hyde Park	1,763	1,455	308	82.5%
31	Garforth & Swillington	1,064	874	190	82.1%
32	Chapel Allerton	1,208	990	218	82.0%
33	Gipton & Harehills	758	591	167	78.0%

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 16.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Little London & Woodhouse approves 94.1% of applications while Gipton & Harehills approves just 78.0%. 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

6,042 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 45,050 planning decisions in Leeds, January 2020 to present. 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 →