Which ward in Torbay has the highest planning approval rate?

Furzeham With Summercombe at 89.0% based on 154 decisions.

Which ward in Torbay has the lowest planning approval rate?

Ellacombe at 73.8% based on 103 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Torbay?

There is a 15.2% 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 15.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

2,555 real decisions·16 wards·Updated June 2026

82.5% approved overall. But 447 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Torbay shifts your odds by up to 15.2%. 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	154	137	17	89.0%
2	Churston With Galmpton	171	149	22	87.1%
3	St Peters With St Marys	163	140	23	85.9%
4	Collaton St Mary	42	36	6	85.7%
5	Cockington With Chelston	207	177	30	85.5%
6	St Marychurch	207	177	30	85.5%
7	Preston	174	148	26	85.1%
8	Shiphay	110	93	17	84.5%
9	Barton With Watcombe	134	108	26	80.6%
10	Tormohun	308	248	60	80.5%
11	Wellswood	422	337	85	79.9%
12	Clifton With Maidenway	63	50	13	79.4%
13	Goodrington With Roselands	85	67	18	78.8%
14	Roundham With Hyde	157	123	34	78.3%
15	Kings Ash	50	38	12	76.0%
16	Ellacombe	103	76	27	73.8%

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 15.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Furzeham With Summercombe approves 89.0% of applications while Ellacombe approves just 73.8%. 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

447 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 2,555 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 →