Which ward in Lewisham has the highest planning approval rate?

DOWNHAM at 100.0% based on 88 decisions.

Which ward in Lewisham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Whitefoot at 67.5% based on 421 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Lewisham?

There is a 32.5% gap between DOWNHAM and Whitefoot. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Lewisham

Planning outcomes in Lewisham are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 32.5% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

24,367 real decisions·38 wards·Updated March 2026

All 38 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	DOWNHAM	88	88	0	100.0%
2	GROVE PARK	132	132	0	100.0%
3	EVELYN	214	213	1	99.5%
4	NEW CROSS	301	299	2	99.3%
5	PERRY VALE	233	231	2	99.1%
6	LEE GREEN	176	174	2	98.9%
7	BELLINGHAM	140	138	2	98.6%
8	FOREST HILL	304	299	5	98.4%
9	RUSHEY GREEN	356	350	6	98.3%
10	LEWISHAM CENTRAL	487	478	9	98.2%
11	CATFORD SOUTH	199	195	4	98.0%
12	BROCKLEY	450	440	10	97.8%
13	TELEGRAPH HILL	265	259	6	97.7%
14	WHITEFOOT	73	71	2	97.3%
15	CROFTON PARK	254	247	7	97.2%
16	SYDENHAM	239	232	7	97.1%
17	BLACKHEATH	195	189	6	96.9%
18	LADYWELL	175	169	6	96.6%
19	New Cross Gate	941	844	97	89.7%
20	Evelyn	676	576	100	85.2%
21	Blackheath	1,167	985	182	84.4%
22	Brockley	1,442	1,208	234	83.8%
23	Telegraph Hill	1,131	937	194	82.8%
24	Deptford	279	230	49	82.4%
25	Crofton Park	1,244	1,023	221	82.2%
26	Lee Green	1,224	1,004	220	82.0%
27	Ladywell	1,199	967	232	80.7%
28	Perry Vale	1,180	948	232	80.3%
29	Forest Hill	1,204	936	268	77.7%
30	Lewisham Central	1,000	776	224	77.6%
31	Sydenham	1,074	828	246	77.1%
32	Bellingham	619	477	142	77.1%
33	Rushey Green	1,013	774	239	76.4%
34	Grove Park	866	641	225	74.0%
35	Hither Green	530	380	150	71.7%
36	Catford South	1,311	932	379	71.1%
37	Downham	763	535	228	70.1%
38	Whitefoot	421	284	137	67.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in DOWNHAM but face serious resistance in Whitefoot.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 32.5% gap separates the best and worst wards. DOWNHAM approves 100.0% of applications while Whitefoot approves just 67.5%. 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

4,175 planning applications in Lewisham 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 Lewisham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 24,367 planning decisions in Lewisham, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Lewisham Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →