Which ward in Swindon has the highest planning approval rate?

Dorcan at 100.0% based on 32 decisions.

Which ward in Swindon has the lowest planning approval rate?

Covingham & Nythe at 81.1% based on 37 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Swindon?

There is a 18.9% gap between Dorcan and Covingham & Nythe. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Swindon

Planning outcomes in Swindon are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 18.9% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

3,908 real decisions·37 wards·Updated March 2026

All 37 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Dorcan	32	32	0	100.0%
2	Not Applicable	461	459	2	99.6%
3	Old Town & Lawn	103	101	2	98.1%
4	Liden, Eldene And Park South	63	61	2	96.8%
5	St Andrews	143	138	5	96.5%
6	Old Town	218	210	8	96.3%
7	Wroughton And Wichelstowe	173	166	7	96.0%
8	Chiseldon And Lawn	180	172	8	95.6%
9	St Margaret And South Marston	185	176	9	95.1%
10	Western	60	57	3	95.0%
11	Blunsdon And Highworth	296	281	15	94.9%
12	Lydiard And Freshbrook	57	54	3	94.7%
13	Highworth	38	36	2	94.7%
14	Covingham And Dorcan	72	68	4	94.4%
15	Blunsdon	36	34	2	94.4%
16	Walcot And Park North	67	63	4	94.0%
17	Mannington And Western	50	47	3	94.0%
18	Central	148	139	9	93.9%
19	Ridgeway	226	212	14	93.8%
20	Priory Vale	81	76	5	93.8%
21	Shaw	87	81	6	93.1%
22	Haydon Wick	141	131	10	92.9%
23	Penhill	14	13	1	92.9%
24	Eastcott	180	167	13	92.8%
25	Rodbourne Cheney	105	97	8	92.4%
26	Penhill And Upper Stratton	74	68	6	91.9%
27	Walcot	37	34	3	91.9%
28	Wroughton & Chiseldon	84	77	7	91.7%
29	St Margaret	86	78	8	90.7%
30	Abbey Meads	52	47	5	90.4%
31	Gorse Hill & Pinehurst	128	115	13	89.8%
32	Freshbrook & Grange Park	28	25	3	89.3%
33	Toothill & Westlea	35	30	5	85.7%
34	Shaw & Nine Elms	43	36	7	83.7%
35	St Philip	41	34	7	82.9%
36	Moredon	38	31	7	81.6%
37	Covingham & Nythe	37	30	7	81.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Dorcan but face serious resistance in Covingham & Nythe.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 18.9% gap separates the best and worst wards. Dorcan approves 100.0% of applications while Covingham & Nythe approves just 81.1%. 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

223 planning applications in Swindon have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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More Swindon planning data

Methodology: Covers 3,908 planning decisions in Swindon, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Swindon Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →