Which ward in Shetland has the highest planning approval rate?

Burra & Trondra at 100.0% based on 51 decisions.

Which ward in Shetland has the lowest planning approval rate?

Bressay at 93.8% based on 16 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Shetland?

There is a 6.2% gap between Burra & Trondra and Bressay. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Shetland

Planning outcomes in Shetland are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 6.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

6,267 real decisions·16 wards·Updated March 2026

98.4% approved overall. But 99 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Shetland shifts your odds by up to 6.2%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 16 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Burra & Trondra	51	51	0	100.0%
2	Northmavine	37	37	0	100.0%
3	Scalloway	49	49	0	100.0%
4	Aithsting & Sandsting	56	56	0	100.0%
5	Delting	110	110	0	100.0%
6	Yell	37	37	0	100.0%
7	Whalsay	48	48	0	100.0%
8	Lerwick	320	317	3	99.1%
9	Sandwick	57	56	1	98.2%
10	Tingwall, Whiteness & Weisdale	124	121	3	97.6%
11	Unst	39	38	1	97.4%
12	Sandness & Walls	66	64	2	97.0%
13	Dunrossness	122	118	4	96.7%
14	Gulberwick, Quarff & Cunningsburgh	93	89	4	95.7%
15	Nesting & Lunnasting	39	37	2	94.9%
16	Bressay	16	15	1	93.8%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Burra & Trondra but face serious resistance in Bressay.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 6.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Burra & Trondra approves 100.0% of applications while Bressay approves just 93.8%. 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

99 planning applications in Shetland 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 Shetland planning data

Methodology: Covers 6,267 planning decisions in Shetland, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Shetland Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →