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Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Moray

Planning outcomes in Moray are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 2.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

1,511 real decisions·8 wards·Updated June 2026
99.2%
Highest: Forres
97.1%
Lowest: Elgin City North
2.1%
Gap
8
Wards
97.9% approved overall. But 31 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Moray shifts your odds by up to 2.1%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 8 wards ranked

#WardDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Forres2402382
99.2%
2Buckie1041031
99.0%
3Fochabers Lhanbryde2152123
98.6%
4Elgin City South1571534
97.5%
5Speyside Glenlivet2722657
97.4%
6Heldon And Laich2272216
97.4%
7Keith And Cullen1891845
97.4%
8Elgin City North102993
97.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Forres but face serious resistance in Elgin City North.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

1
A 2.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Forres approves 99.2% of applications while Elgin City North approves just 97.1%. That's a fundamentally different planning environment.
2
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.
3
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

31 planning applications in Moray 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 Moray planning data

Methodology: Covers 1,511 planning decisions in Moray, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Moray Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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