Which ward in Torbay has the highest planning approval rate?

Furzeham With Summercombe at 88.2% based on 144 decisions.

Which ward in Torbay has the lowest planning approval rate?

Ellacombe at 73.5% based on 102 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Torbay?

There is a 14.7% gap between Furzeham With Summercombe and Ellacombe. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Torbay

Planning outcomes in Torbay are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 14.7% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

2,454 real decisions·16 wards·Updated June 2026

82.2% approved overall. But 438 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Torbay shifts your odds by up to 14.7%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 16 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Furzeham With Summercombe	144	127	17	88.2%
2	Churston With Galmpton	167	145	22	86.8%
3	St Peters With St Marys	157	135	22	86.0%
4	Cockington With Chelston	197	168	29	85.3%
5	St Marychurch	201	171	30	85.1%
6	Collaton St Mary	40	34	6	85.0%
7	Preston	170	144	26	84.7%
8	Shiphay	107	90	17	84.1%
9	Tormohun	293	236	57	80.5%
10	Barton With Watcombe	131	105	26	80.2%
11	Wellswood	398	316	82	79.4%
12	Clifton With Maidenway	62	49	13	79.0%
13	Goodrington With Roselands	82	64	18	78.0%
14	Roundham With Hyde	150	116	34	77.3%
15	Kings Ash	48	37	11	77.1%
16	Ellacombe	102	75	27	73.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Furzeham With Summercombe but face serious resistance in Ellacombe.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 14.7% gap separates the best and worst wards. Furzeham With Summercombe approves 88.2% of applications while Ellacombe approves just 73.5%. 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

438 planning applications in Torbay 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 Torbay planning data

Methodology: Covers 2,454 planning decisions in Torbay, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Torbay Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →