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

Ballard at 97.9% based on 48 decisions.

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

Downlands & Forest North at 83.1% based on 391 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across New Forest?

There is a 14.8% 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 14.8% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

9,442 real decisions·22 wards·Updated August 2026

87.6% approved overall. But 1,172 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in New Forest shifts your odds by up to 14.8%. 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	48	47	1	97.9%
2	Totton North	191	177	14	92.7%
3	Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley	350	321	29	91.7%
4	Totton South	288	262	26	91.0%
5	Hythe Central	99	90	9	90.9%
6	Marchwood & Eling	265	240	25	90.6%
7	Hythe South	63	57	6	90.5%
8	Barton & Becton	463	416	47	89.8%
9	Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield	68	61	7	89.7%
10	Totton Central	229	204	25	89.1%
11	Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill	90	80	10	88.9%
12	Dibden & Dibden Purlieu	240	211	29	87.9%
13	Lymington	1,072	940	132	87.7%
14	Ringwood North & Ellingham	414	361	53	87.2%
15	Milford & Hordle	828	720	108	87.0%
16	Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood Eas	236	205	31	86.9%
17	Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde	537	463	74	86.2%
18	Ringwood South	558	476	82	85.3%
19	Milton	380	324	56	85.3%
20	Pennington	444	377	67	84.9%
21	Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley M	45	38	7	84.4%
22	Downlands & Forest North	391	325	66	83.1%

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 14.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. Ballard approves 97.9% of applications while Downlands & Forest North approves just 83.1%. 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

1,172 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 3,780,000+ real decisions

More New Forest planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 9,442 planning decisions in New Forest, January 2020 to August 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 →