Which ward in Uttlesford has the highest planning approval rate?

Saffron Walden Audley at 88.6% based on 35 decisions.

Which ward in Uttlesford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Stansted South And Birchanger at 54.5% based on 33 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Uttlesford?

There is a 34.1% gap between Saffron Walden Audley and Stansted South And Birchanger. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Uttlesford

Planning outcomes in Uttlesford are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 34.1% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

873 real decisions·22 wards·Updated June 2026

73.8% approved overall. But 229 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Uttlesford shifts your odds by up to 34.1%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 22 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Saffron Walden Audley	35	31	4	88.6%
2	Great Dunmow North	25	22	3	88.0%
3	Saffron Walden Castle	18	15	3	83.3%
4	The Sampfords	33	27	6	81.8%
5	Ashdon	21	17	4	81.0%
6	Littlebury, Chesterford And Wendens Loft	53	42	11	79.2%
7	Flitch Green And Little Dunmow	19	15	4	78.9%
8	Newport	32	25	7	78.1%
9	Broad Oak And The Hallingburys	50	39	11	78.0%
10	Hatfield Heath	27	21	6	77.8%
11	Debden And Wimbish	31	24	7	77.4%
12	Felsted And Stebbing	67	50	17	74.6%
13	Saffron Walden Shire	43	32	11	74.4%
14	Great Dunmow South And Barnston	54	40	14	74.1%
15	Elsenham & Henham	52	38	14	73.1%
16	Stort Valley	36	26	10	72.2%
17	Clavering	49	35	14	71.4%
18	Stansted North	37	25	12	67.6%
19	High Easter And The Rodings	54	35	19	64.8%
20	Thaxted And The Eastons	48	31	17	64.6%
21	Takeley	55	35	20	63.6%
22	Stansted South And Birchanger	33	18	15	54.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Saffron Walden Audley but face serious resistance in Stansted South And Birchanger.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 34.1% gap separates the best and worst wards. Saffron Walden Audley approves 88.6% of applications while Stansted South And Birchanger approves just 54.5%. 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

229 planning applications in Uttlesford 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 Uttlesford planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 873 planning decisions in Uttlesford, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Uttlesford Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →