Which ward in Portsmouth has the highest planning approval rate?

Milton at 91.8% based on 539 decisions.

Which ward in Portsmouth has the lowest planning approval rate?

Fratton at 83.3% based on 288 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Portsmouth?

There is a 8.5% gap between Milton and Fratton. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Portsmouth

Planning outcomes in Portsmouth are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 8.5% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

9,214 real decisions·14 wards·Updated March 2026

88.5% approved overall. But 1,062 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Portsmouth shifts your odds by up to 8.5%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 14 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Milton	539	495	44	91.8%
2	Paulsgrove	356	323	33	90.7%
3	Charles Dickens	812	733	79	90.3%
4	Baffins	462	416	46	90.0%
5	Cosham	688	618	70	89.8%
6	Hilsea	513	458	55	89.3%
7	Copnor	560	500	60	89.3%
8	St Thomas	1,021	905	116	88.6%
9	Drayton & Farlington	1,117	986	131	88.3%
10	Eastney & Craneswater	621	540	81	87.0%
11	St Jude	1,046	908	138	86.8%
12	Nelson	433	373	60	86.1%
13	Central Southsea	702	604	98	86.0%
14	Fratton	288	240	48	83.3%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Milton but face serious resistance in Fratton.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 8.5% gap separates the best and worst wards. Milton approves 91.8% of applications while Fratton approves just 83.3%. 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

1,062 planning applications in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 9,214 planning decisions in Portsmouth, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Portsmouth Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →