Which ward in Waltham Forest has the highest planning approval rate?

Hale End and Highams Park at 81.7% based on 448 decisions.

Which ward in Waltham Forest has the lowest planning approval rate?

Leytonstone at 70.5% based on 1,229 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Waltham Forest?

There is a 11.2% gap between Hale End and Highams Park and Leytonstone. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Waltham Forest

Planning outcomes in Waltham Forest are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 11.2% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

14,067 real decisions·24 wards·Updated September 2026

73.7% approved overall. But 3,705 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Waltham Forest shifts your odds by up to 11.2%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 24 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Hale End and Highams Park	448	366	82	81.7%
2	Chapel End	1,112	901	211	81.0%
3	St James	452	366	86	81.0%
4	Markhouse	915	732	183	80.0%
5	Wood Street	974	772	202	79.3%
6	William Morris	1,045	824	221	78.9%
7	High Street	1,104	865	239	78.4%
8	Hoe Street	1,388	1,072	316	77.2%
9	Hatch Lane & Highams Park North	445	341	104	76.6%
10	Cann Hall	1,047	800	247	76.4%
11	Hatch Lane	380	289	91	76.1%
12	Leyton	972	733	239	75.4%
13	Hale End and Highams Park South	312	234	78	75.0%
14	Lea Bridge	1,053	788	265	74.8%
15	Larkswood	878	655	223	74.6%
16	Endlebury	758	563	195	74.3%
17	Higham Hill	760	564	196	74.2%
18	Forest	984	730	254	74.2%
19	Upper Walthamstow	362	268	94	74.0%
20	Cathall	578	425	153	73.5%
21	Chingford Green	1,051	765	286	72.8%
22	Grove Green	1,078	783	295	72.6%
23	Valley	907	647	260	71.3%
24	Leytonstone	1,229	867	362	70.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Hale End and Highams Park but face serious resistance in Leytonstone.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 11.2% gap separates the best and worst wards. Hale End and Highams Park approves 81.7% of applications while Leytonstone approves just 70.5%. 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

3,705 planning applications in Waltham Forest 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,840,000+ real decisions

More Waltham Forest planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 14,067 planning decisions in Waltham Forest, January 2020 to September 2026. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Waltham Forest Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →