Which ward in Sunderland has the highest planning approval rate?

Washington South at 95.0% based on 262 decisions.

Which ward in Sunderland has the lowest planning approval rate?

Doxford Park at 72.7% based on 11 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Sunderland?

There is a 22.3% gap between Washington South and Doxford Park. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Sunderland

Planning outcomes in Sunderland are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 22.3% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

10,884 real decisions·28 wards·Updated June 2026

88.6% approved overall. But 1,245 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Sunderland shifts your odds by up to 22.3%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Sunderland

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 28 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Washington South	262	249	13	95.0%
2	Deptford And Hendon	29	27	2	93.1%
3	Tunstall And Humbledon	14	13	1	92.9%
4	Silksworth	249	231	18	92.8%
5	St Chads	315	291	24	92.4%
6	St Michaels	938	866	72	92.3%
7	Fulwell	642	590	52	91.9%
8	Sandhill	116	106	10	91.4%
9	Pallion	199	181	18	91.0%
10	Barnes	246	223	23	90.7%
11	St Peters	422	381	41	90.3%
12	Washington Central	385	347	38	90.1%
13	Washington North	593	533	60	89.9%
14	Shiney Row	431	387	44	89.8%
15	St Annes	278	248	30	89.2%
16	Southwick	586	520	66	88.7%
17	Millfield	709	628	81	88.6%
18	Washington West	370	326	44	88.1%
19	Ryhope	471	414	57	87.9%
20	Washington East	332	291	41	87.7%
21	Hendon	726	636	90	87.6%
22	Castle	256	223	33	87.1%
23	Houghton	389	336	53	86.4%
24	Doxford	609	515	94	84.6%
25	Hetton	497	409	88	82.3%
26	Copt Hill	445	357	88	80.2%
27	Redhill	148	116	32	78.4%
28	Doxford Park	11	8	3	72.7%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Washington South but face serious resistance in Doxford Park.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 22.3% gap separates the best and worst wards. Washington South approves 95.0% of applications while Doxford Park approves just 72.7%. 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

1,245 planning applications in Sunderland 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Sunderland planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 10,884 planning decisions in Sunderland, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Sunderland Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →