Which ward in Oldham has the highest planning approval rate?

Failsworth West at 94.6% based on 276 decisions.

Which ward in Oldham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hollinwood at 82.4% based on 238 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Oldham?

There is a 12.2% gap between Failsworth West and Hollinwood. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Oldham

Planning outcomes in Oldham are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 12.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,405 real decisions·20 wards·Updated September 2026

89.8% approved overall. But 654 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Oldham shifts your odds by up to 12.2%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 20 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Failsworth West	276	261	15	94.6%
2	Waterhead	228	215	13	94.3%
3	Royton South	297	275	22	92.6%
4	Crompton	236	217	19	91.9%
5	Saint Mary's	433	398	35	91.9%
6	Failsworth East	349	320	29	91.7%
7	Royton North	331	303	28	91.5%
8	Chadderton South	325	295	30	90.8%
9	Coldhurst	609	550	59	90.3%
10	Saddleworth South	699	630	69	90.1%
11	Saddleworth West And Lees	344	309	35	89.8%
12	Alexandra	252	225	27	89.3%
13	Shaw	295	263	32	89.2%
14	Chadderton Central	413	367	46	88.9%
15	Saint James'	217	193	24	88.9%
16	Chadderton North	438	389	49	88.8%
17	Medlock Vale	265	232	33	87.5%
18	Saddleworth North	783	682	101	87.1%
19	Werneth	410	351	59	85.6%
20	Hollinwood	238	196	42	82.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Failsworth West but face serious resistance in Hollinwood.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 12.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Failsworth West approves 94.6% of applications while Hollinwood approves just 82.4%. 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

654 planning applications in Oldham 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.

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More Oldham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,405 planning decisions in Oldham, January 2020 to September 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Oldham Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →