Which ward in Sandwell has the highest planning approval rate?

Newton & Valley at 100.0% based on 20 decisions.

Which ward in Sandwell has the lowest planning approval rate?

Charlemont With Grove Vale at 88.8% based on 286 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Sandwell?

There is a 11.2% gap between Newton & Valley and Charlemont With Grove Vale. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Sandwell

Planning outcomes in Sandwell are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 11.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,733 real decisions·31 wards·Updated June 2026

All 31 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Newton & Valley	20	20	0	100.0%
2	Hill Top	21	21	0	100.0%
3	Friar Park & Stone Cross	11	11	0	100.0%
4	Charlemont & Grove Vale	20	20	0	100.0%
5	Bearwood	11	11	0	100.0%
6	Tipton Green	267	254	13	95.1%
7	Wednesbury South	317	301	16	95.0%
8	Princes End	119	113	6	95.0%
9	Smethwick	276	261	15	94.6%
10	Oldbury	424	401	23	94.6%
11	St Pauls	397	375	22	94.5%
12	Rowley	175	165	10	94.3%
13	Great Barr With Yew Tree	263	248	15	94.3%
14	West Bromwich Central	456	429	27	94.1%
15	Bristnall	312	293	19	93.9%
16	Hateley Heath	256	240	16	93.8%
17	Great Bridge	256	240	16	93.8%
18	Wednesbury	16	15	1	93.8%
19	Great Barr Tamebridge & Yew Tree	15	14	1	93.3%
20	Wednesbury North	249	232	17	93.2%
21	Cradley Heath & Old Hill	268	249	19	92.9%
22	Friar Park	152	141	11	92.8%
23	Soho & Victoria	270	250	20	92.6%
24	Old Warley	330	305	25	92.4%
25	Langley	227	209	18	92.1%
26	Tividale	212	195	17	92.0%
27	Blackheath	214	195	19	91.1%
28	Abbey	248	226	22	91.1%
29	Greets Green & Lyng	344	312	32	90.7%
30	Newton	286	259	27	90.6%
31	Charlemont With Grove Vale	286	254	32	88.8%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Newton & Valley but face serious resistance in Charlemont With Grove Vale.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 11.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Newton & Valley approves 100.0% of applications while Charlemont With Grove Vale approves just 88.8%. 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

460 planning applications in Sandwell 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Sandwell planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,733 planning decisions in Sandwell, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Sandwell Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →