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 70.2% based on 1,188 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Waltham Forest?

There is a 11.5% 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 11.5% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

21,093 real decisions·24 wards·Updated June 2026

76.2% approved overall. But 5,023 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Waltham Forest shifts your odds by up to 11.5%. 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	1,084	877	207	80.9%
3	St James	425	342	83	80.5%
4	Wood Street	950	757	193	79.7%
5	Markhouse	894	711	183	79.5%
6	William Morris	1,017	805	212	79.2%
7	High Street	1,069	841	228	78.7%
8	Hatch Lane & Highams Park North	417	324	93	77.7%
9	Hoe Street	1,348	1,040	308	77.2%
10	Cann Hall	1,016	773	243	76.1%
11	Hatch Lane	380	289	91	76.1%
12	Leyton	948	713	235	75.2%
13	Hale End and Highams Park South	287	215	72	74.9%
14	Lea Bridge	1,021	764	257	74.8%
15	Higham Hill	724	540	184	74.6%
16	Endlebury	741	552	189	74.5%
17	Larkswood	848	630	218	74.3%
18	Forest	946	699	247	73.9%
19	Upper Walthamstow	333	246	87	73.9%
20	Cathall	565	413	152	73.1%
21	Chingford Green	1,015	741	274	73.0%
22	Grove Green	1,040	756	284	72.7%
23	Valley	873	624	249	71.5%
24	Leytonstone	1,188	834	354	70.2%

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 11.5% gap separates the best and worst wards. Hale End and Highams Park approves 81.7% of applications while Leytonstone approves just 70.2%. 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

5,023 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 21,093 planning decisions in Waltham Forest, January 2020 to present. 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 →