Which ward in Oldham has the highest planning approval rate?

Failsworth West at 94.2% based on 257 decisions.

Which ward in Oldham has the lowest planning approval rate?

Hollinwood at 80.7% based on 218 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Oldham?

There is a 13.5% 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 13.5% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,836 real decisions·20 wards·Updated March 2026

88.6% approved overall. But 776 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Oldham shifts your odds by up to 13.5%. 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	257	242	15	94.2%
2	Waterhead	202	189	13	93.6%
3	Royton South	272	250	22	91.9%
4	Crompton	211	193	18	91.5%
5	Saint Mary's	386	351	35	90.9%
6	Failsworth East	314	285	29	90.8%
7	Royton North	292	264	28	90.4%
8	Chadderton South	285	255	30	89.5%
9	Saddleworth South	648	579	69	89.4%
10	Coldhurst	540	482	58	89.3%
11	Saddleworth West And Lees	323	288	35	89.2%
12	Alexandra	234	207	27	88.5%
13	Shaw	272	240	32	88.2%
14	Saint James'	196	172	24	87.8%
15	Chadderton Central	373	327	46	87.7%
16	Chadderton North	397	348	49	87.7%
17	Medlock Vale	244	211	33	86.5%
18	Saddleworth North	726	626	100	86.2%
19	Werneth	379	320	59	84.4%
20	Hollinwood	218	176	42	80.7%

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 13.5% gap separates the best and worst wards. Failsworth West approves 94.2% of applications while Hollinwood approves just 80.7%. 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

776 planning applications in Oldham 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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More Oldham planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,836 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 →