Which ward in Watford has the highest planning approval rate?

Nascot at 95.1% based on 283 decisions.

Which ward in Watford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Holywell at 83.1% based on 118 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Watford?

There is a 12.0% gap between Nascot and Holywell. Your postcode significantly affects outcomes.

Planning Approval Rates by Ward in Watford

Planning outcomes in Watford are highly localised. The gap between the most and least permissive wards is 12.0% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

2,357 real decisions·12 wards·Updated June 2026

91.0% approved overall. But 211 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Watford shifts your odds by up to 12.0%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

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All 12 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Nascot	283	269	14	95.1%
2	Stanborough	172	161	11	93.6%
3	Park	366	339	27	92.6%
4	Central	272	250	22	91.9%
5	Oxhey	179	164	15	91.6%
6	Tudor	203	185	18	91.1%
7	Woodside	163	147	16	90.2%
8	Vicarage	167	150	17	89.8%
9	Leggatts	121	108	13	89.3%
10	Meriden	138	123	15	89.1%
11	Callowland	149	129	20	86.6%
12	Holywell	118	98	20	83.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

An extension might sail through in Nascot but face serious resistance in Holywell.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

A 12.0% gap separates the best and worst wards. Nascot approves 95.1% of applications while Holywell approves just 83.1%. 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

211 planning applications in Watford 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 3,230,000+ real decisions

More Watford planning data

Methodology: Covers 2,357 planning decisions in Watford, January 2020 to present. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid excluded. Ward boundaries reflect current electoral divisions. Data from Watford Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →