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?

Moredon at 81.6% based on 38 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Swindon?

There is a 18.4% gap between Dorcan and Moredon. 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 18.4% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

4,413 real decisions·38 wards·Updated June 2026

All 38 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Dorcan	32	32	0	100.0%
2	Chiseldon & Ridgeway	11	11	0	100.0%
3	Not Applicable	461	459	2	99.6%
4	Old Town & Lawn	116	113	3	97.4%
5	Liden, Eldene And Park South	69	67	2	97.1%
6	St Andrews	163	158	5	96.9%
7	Wroughton And Wichelstowe	200	193	7	96.5%
8	Old Town	248	239	9	96.4%
9	Chiseldon And Lawn	207	199	8	96.1%
10	Lydiard And Freshbrook	69	66	3	95.7%
11	St Margaret And South Marston	226	216	10	95.6%
12	Blunsdon And Highworth	340	325	15	95.6%
13	Blunsdon	43	41	2	95.3%
14	Highworth	43	41	2	95.3%
15	Western	60	57	3	95.0%
16	Central	176	167	9	94.9%
17	Ridgeway	265	251	14	94.7%
18	Walcot And Park North	76	72	4	94.7%
19	Covingham And Dorcan	75	71	4	94.7%
20	Priory Vale	89	84	5	94.4%
21	Shaw	100	94	6	94.0%
22	Rodbourne Cheney	127	119	8	93.7%
23	Eastcott	203	190	13	93.6%
24	Haydon Wick	155	145	10	93.5%
25	Penhill And Upper Stratton	89	83	6	93.3%
26	Mannington And Western	59	55	4	93.2%
27	Penhill	14	13	1	92.9%
28	Walcot	38	35	3	92.1%
29	Wroughton & Chiseldon	84	77	7	91.7%
30	St Margaret	86	78	8	90.7%
31	Abbey Meads	52	47	5	90.4%
32	Gorse Hill & Pinehurst	142	128	14	90.1%
33	Freshbrook & Grange Park	28	25	3	89.3%
34	Toothill & Westlea	35	30	5	85.7%
35	Shaw & Nine Elms	43	36	7	83.7%
36	St Philip	41	34	7	82.9%
37	Covingham & Nythe	41	34	7	82.9%
38	Moredon	38	31	7	81.6%

See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

A 18.4% gap separates the best and worst wards. Dorcan approves 100.0% of applications while Moredon approves just 81.6%. 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

229 planning applications in Swindon 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 Swindon planning data

Methodology: Covers 4,413 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 →

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Swindon

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Swindon

All 38 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 Swindon planning data