Which ward in Plymouth has the highest planning approval rate?

PLYMPTON CHADDLEWOOD at 96.1% based on 127 decisions.

Which ward in Plymouth has the lowest planning approval rate?

EFFORD AND LIPSON at 86.5% based on 192 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Plymouth?

There is a 9.6% gap between PLYMPTON CHADDLEWOOD and EFFORD AND LIPSON. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Plymouth

Planning outcomes in Plymouth are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 9.6% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,550 real decisions·20 wards·Updated March 2026

93.0% approved overall. But 457 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Plymouth shifts your odds by up to 9.6%. 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	PLYMPTON CHADDLEWOOD	127	122	5	96.1%
2	PLYMPTON ERLE	260	249	11	95.8%
3	ST PETER AND THE WATERFRONT	931	889	42	95.5%
4	PLYMSTOCK DUNSTONE	363	344	19	94.8%
5	MOORVIEW	423	400	23	94.6%
6	STOKE	373	351	22	94.1%
7	PEVERELL	329	309	20	93.9%
8	BUDSHEAD	333	310	23	93.1%
9	DRAKE	271	252	19	93.0%
10	DEVONPORT	255	237	18	92.9%
11	HAM	135	125	10	92.6%
12	SUTTON AND MOUNT GOULD	253	234	19	92.5%
13	PLYMSTOCK RADFORD	519	477	42	91.9%
14	COMPTON	546	502	44	91.9%
15	PLYMPTON ST MARY	360	331	29	91.9%
16	SOUTHWAY	209	191	18	91.4%
17	EGGBUCKLAND	302	275	27	91.1%
18	HONICKNOWLE	170	154	16	90.6%
19	ST BUDEAUX	196	172	24	87.8%
20	EFFORD AND LIPSON	192	166	26	86.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in PLYMPTON CHADDLEWOOD but face serious resistance in EFFORD AND LIPSON.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 9.6% gap separates the best and worst wards. PLYMPTON CHADDLEWOOD approves 96.1% of applications while EFFORD AND LIPSON approves just 86.5%. 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

457 planning applications in Plymouth 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 Plymouth planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,550 planning decisions in Plymouth, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Plymouth Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →