Which ward in Swansea has the highest planning approval rate?

Penderry - Area 1 at 96.2% based on 78 decisions.

Which ward in Swansea has the lowest planning approval rate?

Uplands - Bay Area at 72.1% based on 179 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Swansea?

There is a 24.1% gap between Penderry - Area 1 and Uplands - Bay Area. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Swansea

Planning outcomes in Swansea are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 24.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

3,860 real decisions·44 wards·Updated August 2026

All 44 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Penderry - Area 1	78	75	3	96.2%
2	Upper Loughor - Area 2	25	24	1	96.0%
3	Mawr - Area 1	47	45	2	95.7%
4	Waterfront - Bay Area	45	43	2	95.6%
5	Pontlliw And Tircoed - Area 1	18	17	1	94.4%
6	Newton - Area 2	69	65	4	94.2%
7	Llwchwr - Area 1	49	46	3	93.9%
8	Llangyfelach - Area 1	81	76	5	93.8%
9	Bonymaen - Area 1	60	55	5	91.7%
10	Castle - Bay Area	304	277	27	91.1%
11	Landore - Area 1	94	85	9	90.4%
12	Penllergaer - Area 1	61	55	6	90.2%
13	Llansamlet - Area 1	179	161	18	89.9%
14	Waunarlwydd - Bay Area	19	17	2	89.5%
15	Pennard - Area 2	127	113	14	89.0%
16	Morriston - Area 1	170	150	20	88.2%
17	Gower - Area 2	278	245	33	88.1%
18	Clydach - Area 1	92	81	11	88.0%
19	Dunvant - Area 2	57	50	7	87.7%
20	Sketty - Bay Area	272	238	34	87.5%
21	Lower Loughor - Area 2	16	14	2	87.5%
22	Pontarddulais - Area 1	82	71	11	86.6%
23	Gowerton - Area 2	74	64	10	86.5%
24	Cockett - Bay Area	50	43	7	86.0%
25	Killay South - Area 2	21	18	3	85.7%
26	St. Thomas - Bay Area	87	74	13	85.1%
27	Kingsbridge - Area 2	53	45	8	84.9%
28	Cockett - Area 1	109	92	17	84.4%
29	Gorseinon And Penyrheol - Area 1	25	21	4	84.0%
30	Killay North - Area 2	37	31	6	83.8%
31	West Cross - Bay Area	108	90	18	83.3%
32	Mynyddbach - Area 1	84	70	14	83.3%
33	Gorseinon - Area 2	34	28	6	82.4%
34	Dunvant And Killay - Area 2	55	45	10	81.8%
35	Penyrheol - Area 2	64	52	12	81.2%
36	Bishopston - Area 2	89	72	17	80.9%
37	Mayals - Bay Area	88	71	17	80.7%
38	Townhill - Area 1	34	27	7	79.4%
39	Fairwood - Area 2	51	40	11	78.4%
40	Mumbles - Area 2	129	99	30	76.7%
41	Oystermouth - Bay Area	115	86	29	74.8%
42	Penclawdd - Area 2	85	62	23	72.9%
43	Cwmbwrla - Area 1	54	39	15	72.2%
44	Uplands - Bay Area	179	129	50	72.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

A 24.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Penderry - Area 1 approves 96.2% of applications while Uplands - Bay Area approves just 72.1%. 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

547 planning applications in Swansea 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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Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Swansea

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Swansea

All 44 wards ranked

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

What the data tells us

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

More Swansea planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns