Which ward in Oldham has the highest planning approval rate?

Failsworth West at 94.5% based on 273 decisions.

Which ward in Oldham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hollinwood at 82.3% based on 237 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.

7,388 real decisions·20 wards·Updated August 2026

89.5% approved overall. But 778 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.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Oldham

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 20 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Failsworth West	273	258	15	94.5%
2	Waterhead	222	209	13	94.1%
3	Royton South	291	269	22	92.4%
4	Crompton	228	210	18	92.1%
5	Saint Mary's	423	388	35	91.7%
6	Failsworth East	344	315	29	91.6%
7	Royton North	323	295	28	91.3%
8	Chadderton South	316	286	30	90.5%
9	Coldhurst	602	543	59	90.2%
10	Saddleworth South	690	621	69	90.0%
11	Saddleworth West And Lees	337	302	35	89.6%
12	Alexandra	249	222	27	89.2%
13	Shaw	293	261	32	89.1%
14	Saint James'	215	191	24	88.8%
15	Chadderton Central	405	359	46	88.6%
16	Chadderton North	430	381	49	88.6%
17	Medlock Vale	263	230	33	87.5%
18	Saddleworth North	775	674	101	87.0%
19	Werneth	404	345	59	85.4%
20	Hollinwood	237	195	42	82.3%

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.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 12.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Failsworth West approves 94.5% of applications while Hollinwood approves just 82.3%. 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

778 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Oldham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 7,388 planning decisions in Oldham, January 2020 to August 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 →