Which ward in Sheffield has the highest planning approval rate?

Fulwood at 96.0% based on 626 decisions.

Which ward in Sheffield has the lowest planning approval rate?

Burngreave at 77.2% based on 127 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Sheffield?

There is a 18.8% gap between Fulwood and Burngreave. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Sheffield

Planning outcomes in Sheffield are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 18.8% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,165 real decisions·28 wards·Updated March 2026

All 28 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Fulwood	626	601	25	96.0%
2	Walkley	123	118	5	95.9%
3	Broomhill And Sharrow Vale	570	538	32	94.4%
4	Woodhouse	123	116	7	94.3%
5	City	330	310	20	93.9%
6	Manor Castle	125	117	8	93.6%
7	Nether Edge And Sharrow	671	628	43	93.6%
8	Birley	83	77	6	92.8%
9	Beauchief & Greenhill	192	178	14	92.7%
10	Dore & Totley	514	468	46	91.1%
11	Southey	65	59	6	90.8%
12	East Ecclesfield	136	123	13	90.4%
13	Ecclesall	373	335	38	89.8%
14	West Ecclesfield	153	137	16	89.5%
15	Darnall	263	235	28	89.4%
16	Crookes And Crosspool	231	206	25	89.2%
17	Graves Park	199	176	23	88.4%
18	Stocksbridge & Upper Don	214	188	26	87.9%
19	Park And Arbourthorne	72	63	9	87.5%
20	Richmond	79	68	11	86.1%
21	Hillsborough	181	155	26	85.6%
22	Firth Park	69	59	10	85.5%
23	Stannington	259	221	38	85.3%
24	Gleadless Valley	84	71	13	84.5%
25	Beighton	112	94	18	83.9%
26	Shiregreen & Brightside	55	46	9	83.6%
27	Mosborough	135	111	24	82.2%
28	Burngreave	127	98	29	77.2%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

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

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 18.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. Fulwood approves 96.0% of applications while Burngreave approves just 77.2%. 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

568 planning applications in Sheffield 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.

Check My Postcode First

Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Sheffield planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 6,165 planning decisions in Sheffield, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Sheffield Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →