Which ward in North Somerset has the highest planning approval rate?

Portishead South at 94.6% based on 316 decisions.

Which ward in North Somerset has the lowest planning approval rate?

Weston-super-Mare Central at 84.6% based on 748 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across North Somerset?

There is a 10.0% gap between Portishead South and Weston-super-Mare Central. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in North Somerset

Planning outcomes in North Somerset are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 10.0% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

19,330 real decisions·35 wards·Updated March 2026

All 35 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Portishead South	316	299	17	94.6%
2	Portishead East	246	231	15	93.9%
3	Clevedon Walton	720	673	47	93.5%
4	Clevedon West	274	256	18	93.4%
5	Long Ashton	1,699	1,586	113	93.3%
6	Weston-super-Mare North Worle	234	217	17	92.7%
7	Backwell	620	574	46	92.6%
8	Clevedon South	176	163	13	92.6%
9	Weston-super-Mare Winterstoke	195	180	15	92.3%
10	Weston-super-Mare Uphill	573	527	46	92.0%
11	Weston-super-Mare Hillside	998	917	81	91.9%
12	Wrington	888	814	74	91.7%
13	Weston-super-Mare South Worle	227	208	19	91.6%
14	Hutton And Locking	766	700	66	91.4%
15	Wick St Lawrence And St Georges	171	156	15	91.2%
16	Portishead North	575	524	51	91.1%
17	Nailsea West End	354	322	32	91.0%
18	Portishead West	747	680	67	91.0%
19	Blagdon And Churchill	828	749	79	90.5%
20	Banwell And Winscombe	1,363	1,230	133	90.2%
21	Clevedon Yeo	138	124	14	89.9%
22	Yatton	836	746	90	89.2%
23	Weston-super-Mare South Ward	226	201	25	88.9%
24	Weston-super-Mare Mid Worle	98	87	11	88.8%
25	Weston-super-Mare Milton	316	280	36	88.6%
26	Clevedon East	388	341	47	87.9%
27	Nailsea Golden Valley	307	269	38	87.6%
28	Weston-super-Mare Kewstoke	560	488	72	87.1%
29	Pill	483	418	65	86.5%
30	Nailsea Youngwood	177	153	24	86.4%
31	Gordano Valley	855	736	119	86.1%
32	Congresbury And Puxton	604	516	88	85.4%
33	Nailsea Yeo	353	301	52	85.3%
34	Winford	811	690	121	85.1%
35	Weston-super-Mare Central	748	633	115	84.6%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Portishead South but face serious resistance in Weston-super-Mare Central.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 10.0% gap separates the best and worst wards. Portishead South approves 94.6% of applications while Weston-super-Mare Central approves just 84.6%. 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

1,899 planning applications in North Somerset 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.

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

More North Somerset planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 19,330 planning decisions in North Somerset, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from North Somerset Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →