Which ward in Stafford has the highest planning approval rate?

Penkside at 92.7% based on 41 decisions.

Which ward in Stafford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Common at 78.4% based on 74 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Stafford?

There is a 14.3% 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 14.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

3,865 real decisions·23 wards·Updated June 2026

84.4% approved overall. But 604 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Stafford shifts your odds by up to 14.3%. 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	41	38	3	92.7%
2	Milford	140	127	13	90.7%
3	Coton	73	65	8	89.0%
4	Rowley	105	92	13	87.6%
5	Holmcroft	88	77	11	87.5%
6	Walton	109	95	14	87.2%
7	St Michaels And Stonefield	235	205	30	87.2%
8	Barlaston	103	89	14	86.4%
9	Doxey And Castletown	28	24	4	85.7%
10	Baswich	117	100	17	85.5%
11	Milwich	409	349	60	85.3%
12	Weeping Cross And Wildwood	129	110	19	85.3%
13	Swynnerton And Oulton	367	312	55	85.0%
14	Highfield And Western Downs	49	41	8	83.7%
15	Seighford And Church Eaton	308	256	52	83.1%
16	Eccleshall	428	355	73	82.9%
17	Forebridge	205	169	36	82.4%
18	Fulford	181	149	32	82.3%
19	Gnosall And Woodseaves	253	207	46	81.8%
20	Haywood And Hixon	226	184	42	81.4%
21	Manor	103	83	20	80.6%
22	Littleworth	74	59	15	79.7%
23	Common	74	58	16	78.4%

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 14.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Penkside approves 92.7% of applications while Common approves just 78.4%. 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

604 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 3,865 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 →