Which ward in New Forest has the highest planning approval rate?

Ballard at 97.7% based on 44 decisions.

Which ward in New Forest has the lowest planning approval rate?

Downlands & Forest North at 83.4% based on 362 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across New Forest?

There is a 14.3% gap between Ballard and Downlands & Forest North. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in New Forest

Planning outcomes in New Forest are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 14.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

9,108 real decisions·22 wards·Updated June 2026

87.7% approved overall. But 1,116 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in New Forest shifts your odds by up to 14.3%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

All 22 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Ballard	44	43	1	97.7%
2	Totton North	180	168	12	93.3%
3	Hythe Central	88	81	7	92.0%
4	Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley	335	308	27	91.9%
5	Totton South	279	254	25	91.0%
6	Barton & Becton	447	404	43	90.4%
7	Marchwood & Eling	250	225	25	90.0%
8	Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield	59	53	6	89.8%
9	Totton Central	221	198	23	89.6%
10	Hythe South	57	51	6	89.5%
11	Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill	83	74	9	89.2%
12	Lymington	1,027	904	123	88.0%
13	Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood Eas	228	200	28	87.7%
14	Dibden & Dibden Purlieu	227	199	28	87.7%
15	Ringwood North & Ellingham	401	350	51	87.3%
16	Milford & Hordle	791	686	105	86.7%
17	Milton	359	311	48	86.6%
18	Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde	520	448	72	86.2%
19	Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley M	42	36	6	85.7%
20	Ringwood South	539	461	78	85.5%
21	Pennington	426	361	65	84.7%
22	Downlands & Forest North	362	302	60	83.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Ballard but face serious resistance in Downlands & Forest North.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 14.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Ballard approves 97.7% of applications while Downlands & Forest North approves just 83.4%. 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

1,116 planning applications in New Forest 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More New Forest planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 9,108 planning decisions in New Forest, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from New Forest Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →