Which ward in Oxford has the highest planning approval rate?

Holywell Ward at 98.9% based on 353 decisions.

Which ward in Oxford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Lye Valley Ward at 80.3% based on 183 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Oxford?

There is a 18.6% gap between Holywell Ward and Lye Valley Ward. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Oxford

Planning outcomes in Oxford are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 18.6% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

5,477 real decisions·31 wards·Updated March 2026

All 31 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Holywell Ward	353	349	4	98.9%
2	North Ward	243	239	4	98.4%
3	Summertown	150	147	3	98.0%
4	Carfax And Jericho Ward	161	157	4	97.5%
5	Walton Manor Ward	149	145	4	97.3%
6	St Margarets Ward	199	193	6	97.0%
7	Wolvercote Ward	254	245	9	96.5%
8	Cutteslowe And Sunnymead Ward	85	82	3	96.5%
9	Carfax Ward	273	261	12	95.6%
10	Northfield Brook Ward	37	35	2	94.6%
11	St Marys Ward	193	182	11	94.3%
12	Osney And St. Thomas Ward	103	97	6	94.2%
13	Summertown Ward	192	180	12	93.8%
14	Hinksey Park	111	102	9	91.9%
15	Donnington Ward	71	65	6	91.5%
16	Jericho And Osney Ward	208	190	18	91.3%
17	Quarry And Risinghurst Ward	240	216	24	90.0%
18	St Clement's Ward	199	178	21	89.4%
19	Headington Ward	304	271	33	89.1%
20	Headington Hill And Northway Ward	262	231	31	88.2%
21	Iffley Fields Ward	117	103	14	88.0%
22	Churchill Ward	153	134	19	87.6%
23	Marston Ward	249	217	32	87.1%
24	Barton And Sandhills Ward	99	86	13	86.9%
25	Cowley Ward	234	201	33	85.9%
26	Rose Hill And Iffley Ward	177	152	25	85.9%
27	Littlemore Ward	169	145	24	85.8%
28	Temple Cowley Ward	49	42	7	85.7%
29	Blackbird Leys Ward	98	82	16	83.7%
30	Cowley Marsh Ward	140	114	26	81.4%
31	Lye Valley Ward	183	147	36	80.3%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Holywell Ward but face serious resistance in Lye Valley Ward.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 18.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. Holywell Ward approves 98.9% of applications while Lye Valley Ward approves just 80.3%. 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

467 planning applications in Oxford 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 Oxford planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 5,477 planning decisions in Oxford, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Oxford Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →