Which ward in Stafford has the highest planning approval rate?

Penkside at 92.3% based on 39 decisions.

Which ward in Stafford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Common at 77.5% based on 71 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Stafford?

There is a 14.8% gap between Penkside and Common. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Stafford

Planning outcomes in Stafford are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 14.8% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

3,677 real decisions·23 wards·Updated June 2026

84.3% approved overall. But 579 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Stafford shifts your odds by up to 14.8%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 23 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Penkside	39	36	3	92.3%
2	Milford	136	123	13	90.4%
3	Holmcroft	81	72	9	88.9%
4	Rowley	96	85	11	88.5%
5	Coton	68	60	8	88.2%
6	Doxey And Castletown	24	21	3	87.5%
7	Walton	104	90	14	86.5%
8	St Michaels And Stonefield	219	189	30	86.3%
9	Barlaston	102	88	14	86.3%
10	Baswich	105	90	15	85.7%
11	Milwich	393	336	57	85.5%
12	Swynnerton And Oulton	354	300	54	84.7%
13	Weeping Cross And Wildwood	124	105	19	84.7%
14	Highfield And Western Downs	45	38	7	84.4%
15	Eccleshall	404	337	67	83.4%
16	Seighford And Church Eaton	300	249	51	83.0%
17	Fulford	168	138	30	82.1%
18	Gnosall And Woodseaves	242	198	44	81.8%
19	Forebridge	196	160	36	81.6%
20	Haywood And Hixon	215	174	41	80.9%
21	Manor	98	79	19	80.6%
22	Littleworth	73	58	15	79.5%
23	Common	71	55	16	77.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

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

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What the data tells us

A 14.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. Penkside approves 92.3% of applications while Common approves just 77.5%. 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

579 planning applications in Stafford 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 3,230,000+ real decisions

More Stafford planning data

Methodology: Covers 3,677 planning decisions in Stafford, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Stafford Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →