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 70.3% based on 1,214 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Waltham Forest?

There is a 11.4% 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 11.4% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

21,464 real decisions·24 wards·Updated August 2026

76.2% approved overall. But 5,108 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Waltham Forest shifts your odds by up to 11.4%. 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	1,104	893	211	80.9%
3	St James	443	358	85	80.8%
4	Markhouse	902	719	183	79.7%
5	Wood Street	965	766	199	79.4%
6	William Morris	1,031	815	216	79.0%
7	High Street	1,082	850	232	78.6%
8	Hoe Street	1,369	1,059	310	77.4%
9	Hatch Lane & Highams Park North	431	333	98	77.3%
10	Cann Hall	1,035	790	245	76.3%
11	Hatch Lane	380	289	91	76.1%
12	Leyton	969	730	239	75.3%
13	Lea Bridge	1,037	777	260	74.9%
14	Larkswood	862	643	219	74.6%
15	Higham Hill	745	555	190	74.5%
16	Hale End and Highams Park South	298	222	76	74.5%
17	Endlebury	753	560	193	74.4%
18	Forest	968	718	250	74.2%
19	Upper Walthamstow	346	255	91	73.7%
20	Cathall	570	418	152	73.3%
21	Chingford Green	1,036	755	281	72.9%
22	Grove Green	1,063	772	291	72.6%
23	Valley	897	641	256	71.5%
24	Leytonstone	1,214	854	360	70.3%

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 11.4% gap separates the best and worst wards. Hale End and Highams Park approves 81.7% of applications while Leytonstone approves just 70.3%. 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

5,108 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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More Waltham Forest planning data

Nearby councils ward breakdowns

Methodology: Covers 21,464 planning decisions in Waltham Forest, January 2020 to August 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 →