Which ward in Oldham has the highest planning approval rate?

Failsworth West at 94.3% based on 263 decisions.

Which ward in Oldham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hollinwood at 81.3% based on 225 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Oldham?

There is a 13.0% 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 13.0% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

7,038 real decisions·20 wards·Updated June 2026

89.0% approved overall. But 777 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Oldham shifts your odds by up to 13.0%. 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	263	248	15	94.3%
2	Waterhead	210	197	13	93.8%
3	Royton South	277	255	22	92.1%
4	Crompton	218	200	18	91.7%
5	Saint Mary's	401	366	35	91.3%
6	Failsworth East	328	299	29	91.2%
7	Royton North	304	276	28	90.8%
8	Chadderton South	297	267	30	89.9%
9	Coldhurst	567	508	59	89.6%
10	Saddleworth South	658	589	69	89.5%
11	Saddleworth West And Lees	325	290	35	89.2%
12	Shaw	281	249	32	88.6%
13	Alexandra	237	210	27	88.6%
14	Saint James'	201	177	24	88.1%
15	Chadderton Central	382	336	46	88.0%
16	Chadderton North	405	356	49	87.9%
17	Medlock Vale	254	221	33	87.0%
18	Saddleworth North	745	645	100	86.6%
19	Werneth	393	334	59	85.0%
20	Hollinwood	225	183	42	81.3%

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.

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What the data tells us

A 13.0% gap separates the best and worst wards. Failsworth West approves 94.3% of applications while Hollinwood approves just 81.3%. 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

777 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 7,038 planning decisions in Oldham, January 2020 to present. 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 →