Which ward in Stoke-on-Trent has the highest planning approval rate?

Meir Park at 96.4% based on 28 decisions.

Which ward in Stoke-on-Trent has the lowest planning approval rate?

Lightwood North & Normacot at 65.1% based on 43 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Stoke-on-Trent?

There is a 31.3% gap between Meir Park and Lightwood North & Normacot. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Stoke-on-Trent

Planning outcomes in Stoke-on-Trent are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 31.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

1,632 real decisions·34 wards·Updated September 2026

All 34 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Meir Park	28	27	1	96.4%
2	Penkhull & Springfields	59	56	3	94.9%
3	Bradeley & Chell Heath	16	15	1	93.8%
4	Little Chell & Stanfield	29	26	3	89.7%
5	Etruria & Hanley	164	146	18	89.0%
6	Meir Hay North, Parkhall & Weston Coyney	54	48	6	88.9%
7	Bentilee, Ubberley and Townsend	36	32	4	88.9%
8	Burslem Park	27	24	3	88.9%
9	Moorcroft & Sneyd Green	100	88	12	88.0%
10	Abbey Hulton	21	18	3	85.7%
11	Baddeley, Milton and Norton	107	91	16	85.0%
12	Longton and Meir Hay South	71	60	11	84.5%
13	Hanford, Newstead & Trentham	141	119	22	84.4%
14	Dresden & Florence	18	15	3	83.3%
15	Fenton East	30	25	5	83.3%
16	Meir South	48	40	8	83.3%
17	Fenton West & Mount Pleasant	58	47	11	81.0%
18	Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton	149	120	29	80.5%
19	Meir North	15	12	3	80.0%
20	Burslem	68	54	14	79.4%
21	Blurton	24	19	5	79.2%
22	Boothen	22	17	5	77.3%
23	Goldenhill & Sandyford	35	27	8	77.1%
24	Hollybush	36	27	9	75.0%
25	Sandford Hill	16	12	4	75.0%
26	Trent Vale & Oak Hill	39	29	10	74.4%
27	Birches Head & Northwood	49	36	13	73.5%
28	Tunstall	59	43	16	72.9%
29	Basford & Hartshill	58	42	16	72.4%
30	Hartshill Park & Stoke	92	65	27	70.7%
31	Great Chell & Packmoor	32	22	10	68.8%
32	Bucknall & Eaton Park	25	17	8	68.0%
33	Ford Green & Smallthorne	31	21	10	67.7%
34	Lightwood North & Normacot	43	28	15	65.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Meir Park but face serious resistance in Lightwood North & Normacot.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 31.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Meir Park approves 96.4% of applications while Lightwood North & Normacot approves just 65.1%. 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

303 planning applications in Stoke-on-Trent 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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More Stoke-on-Trent planning data

Methodology: Covers 1,632 planning decisions in Stoke-on-Trent, January 2020 to September 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Stoke-on-Trent Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →