Which ward in Watford has the highest planning approval rate?

Nascot at 95.4% based on 305 decisions.

Which ward in Watford has the lowest planning approval rate?

Holywell at 81.6% based on 125 decisions.

How much do planning approval rates vary across Watford?

There is a 13.8% 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 13.8% — that's not noise, it's a fundamentally different planning environment depending on where you live.

2,485 real decisions·13 wards·Updated June 2026

91.2% approved overall. But 219 applications refused since 2020. Where you live in Watford shifts your odds by up to 13.8%. The council average doesn't tell you which side of that gap you're on.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Watford

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 13 wards ranked

#	Ward	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Nascot	305	291	14	95.4%
2	Stanborough	179	168	11	93.9%
3	Park	387	358	29	92.5%
4	Oxhey	192	177	15	92.2%
5	Tudor	214	196	18	91.6%
6	Central	279	255	24	91.4%
7	Woodside	172	156	16	90.7%
8	Vicarage	171	154	17	90.1%
9	TR Leavesden	10	9	1	90.0%
10	Leggatts	126	113	13	89.7%
11	Meriden	151	135	16	89.4%
12	Callowland	157	137	20	87.3%
13	Holywell	125	102	23	81.6%

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.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

A 13.8% gap separates the best and worst wards. Nascot approves 95.4% of applications while Holywell approves just 81.6%. 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

219 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,230,000+ real decisions

More Watford planning data

Methodology: Covers 2,485 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 →