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

Ballard at 98.3% based on 59 decisions.

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

Downlands & Forest North at 84.7% based on 430 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across New Forest?

There is a 13.6% 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 13.6% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

8,476 real decisions·22 wards·Updated September 2026

89.5% approved overall. But 890 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in New Forest shifts your odds by up to 13.6%. 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	59	58	1	98.3%
2	Totton North	209	195	14	93.3%
3	Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley	387	358	29	92.5%
4	Hythe Central	113	104	9	92.0%
5	Totton South	315	289	26	91.7%
6	Hythe South	70	64	6	91.4%
7	Marchwood & Eling	294	268	26	91.2%
8	Barton & Becton	528	481	47	91.1%
9	Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield	77	70	7	90.9%
10	Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill	100	90	10	90.0%
11	Totton Central	249	224	25	90.0%
12	Dibden & Dibden Purlieu	267	238	29	89.1%
13	Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood Eas	276	245	31	88.8%
14	Lymington	1,144	1,011	133	88.4%
15	Milford & Hordle	922	812	110	88.1%
16	Ringwood North & Ellingham	453	399	54	88.1%
17	Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde	604	525	79	86.9%
18	Pennington	493	426	67	86.4%
19	Ringwood South	609	524	85	86.0%
20	Milton	414	356	58	86.0%
21	Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley M	49	42	7	85.7%
22	Downlands & Forest North	430	364	66	84.7%

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 13.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. Ballard approves 98.3% of applications while Downlands & Forest North approves just 84.7%. 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

890 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 3,840,000+ real decisions

More New Forest planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 8,476 planning decisions in New Forest, January 2020 to September 2026. 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 →