Which ward in Moray has the highest planning approval rate?

Fochabers Lhanbryde at 99.4% based on 154 decisions.

Which ward in Moray has the lowest planning approval rate?

Elgin City South at 96.7% based on 123 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Moray?

There is a 2.7% gap between Fochabers Lhanbryde and Elgin City South. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Moray

Planning outcomes in Moray are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 2.7% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

1,150 real decisions·8 wards·Updated March 2026

98.3% approved overall. But 19 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Moray shifts your odds by up to 2.7%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Moray

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 8 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Fochabers Lhanbryde	154	153	1	99.4%
2	Forres	176	174	2	98.9%
3	Buckie	85	84	1	98.8%
4	Elgin City North	75	74	1	98.7%
5	Heldon And Laich	174	171	3	98.3%
6	Speyside Glenlivet	215	211	4	98.1%
7	Keith And Cullen	143	140	3	97.9%
8	Elgin City South	123	119	4	96.7%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

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

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 2.7% gap separates the best and worst wards. Fochabers Lhanbryde approves 99.4% of applications while Elgin City South approves just 96.7%. 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

19 planning applications in Moray 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.

Check My Postcode First

Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Moray planning data

Methodology: Covers 1,150 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 →