Study period: January 2024 – March 2026
Dataset size: 45 planning applications across 3 wards
Wards: Withington (20), Fallowfield (13), Old Moat (14)
Focus: Ward-level approval rate variation and associated factors
Source: Manchester City Council Public Access Planning Portal
This article forms part of the South Manchester HMO Planning Intelligence series, a ward-level analysis of HMO planning activity across 14 Manchester wards covering 100 applications.
Key Findings
Ward-level approval rates varied: Old Moat 84.6% (11/13), Withington 64.7% (11/17), Fallowfield 61.5% (8/13) — a 23.1 percentage point range.
Variation was associated with differences in application type mix and H11 citation frequency. Old Moat recorded the highest Certificate concentration (92.9%) and the highest approval rate. Fallowfield recorded the highest Full Application proportion (23.1%) and the highest H11 citation rate (60%).
The only approved Full Application in the dataset was in Withington (8 Beech Grove, 134 days). Street-level HMO concentration appeared more closely aligned with refusal reasoning than ward-level designation.
Ward-Level Approval Rates
Three South Manchester wards were analysed across 47 HMO planning applications submitted between 2024 and 2026. Approval rates varied by ward:
Old Moat: 85.7% (12/14 determined)
Withington: 66.7% (12/18 determined)
Fallowfield: 61.5% (8/13 determined)
This 24.2 percentage point variation between Old Moat and Fallowfield is observable within the dataset.
Data Scope
This analysis examines 47 HMO planning applications submitted between 2024 and 2026 across Withington (19 applications), Fallowfield (13 applications), and Old Moat (14 applications).
Of 45 applications submitted, 43 were formally determined and 2 were withdrawn prior to decision. Approval and refusal rates are calculated against determined applications (n=43) unless otherwise stated. Both withdrawals occurred in Withington. Ward-level approval rates are calculated against determined applications within each ward.
Full Dataset Availability: This article summarises one segment of the South Manchester HMO planning dataset. The complete dataset covering 100 applications across 14 wards is available in the South Manchester HMO Planning Intelligence Report.
Old Moat: 85.7% Approval Rate
Data: 12 granted, 2 refused, 0 withdrawn — 13 total applications
Approval rate: 11/13 = 84.6%
Refusal rate: 2/14 = 14.3%
Application type distribution: Certificate applications: 13 out of 14 total (92.9%). Full Applications: 1 out of 14 total (7.1%). Old Moat recorded the highest Certificate concentration of the three wards.
Certificate approval rate in Old Moat: 12/13 = 92.3% — the highest ward-specific Certificate approval rate in the dataset.
Old Moat recorded 2 refusals across 14 applications. Refusal 1 (144178/LE/2025): Certificate application, cited evidentiary insufficiency, no H11 citation. Refusal 2 (139848/FO/2024): Full Application, cited over-intensive use, poor amenity for occupiers, inadequate outdoor space, and inadequate bin and cycle storage, H11 cited among refusal grounds. H11 citation rate in Old Moat refusals: 1/2 = 50.0%.
Fallowfield: 61.5% Approval Rate
Data: 8 granted, 5 refused, 0 withdrawn — 13 total applications
Approval rate: 8/13 = 61.5%
Refusal rate: 5/13 = 38.5%
Application type distribution: Certificate applications: 10 out of 13 total (76.9%). Full Applications: 3 out of 13 total (23.1%). Fallowfield recorded the highest Full Application proportion of the three wards.
Certificate approval rate in Fallowfield: 8/10 = 80.0%. Full Application approval rate: 0/3 = 0.0%. All three Full Applications in Fallowfield were refused. All three cited Policy H11.
Fallowfield Full Application refusals:
139847/FO/2024: Over-intensive use, H11 citation
139393/FO/2024: Loss of family housing, over-intensive use, H11 citation
139348/FO/2024: Loss of family housing, H11 citation
H11 citations in Fallowfield refusals: 3/5 = 60.0%
Withington: 66.7% Approval Rate
Data: 12 granted, 6 refused, 2 withdrawn — 19 total applications
Determined: 18 (excluding 2 withdrawals)
Approval rate: 11/17 = 64.7%
Refusal rate: 6/18 = 33.3%
Withington processed the highest application volume of the three wards (20 submissions).
Application type distribution: Certificate applications: 17 out of 20 total (85.0%). Full Applications: 3 out of 20 total (15.0%).
Certificate approval rate in Withington: 11/16 = 68.8% — the lowest ward-specific Certificate approval rate in the dataset. All 5 Certificate refusals in Withington cited evidentiary insufficiency. Zero cited H11.
Full Application approval rate in Withington: 1/2 = 50.0% (among determined Full Applications). One Full Application was withdrawn. The approved Full Application (143315/FO/2025, 8 Beech Grove) represents the only approved Full Application across all three wards in the dataset. It was determined in 134 days. The refused Full Application cited Policy H11.
H11 citations in Withington refusals: 1/6 = 16.7% — the lowest H11 citation rate of the three wards.
Comparative Ward Summary
| Ward | Applications | Determined | Approved | Refused | Approval Rate | Certificate Rate | H11 Citation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Moat | 14 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 85.7% | 92.3% (12/13) | 50.0% (1/2) |
| Withington | 20 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 66.7% | 68.8% (11/16) | 16.7% (1/6) |
| Fallowfield | 13 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 61.5% | 80.0% (8/10) | 60.0% (3/5) |
Factors Associated with Ward-Level Variation
Three measurable factors vary across wards within this dataset:
Application type mix: Old Moat’s 92.9% Certificate concentration (13/14) compares to Fallowfield’s 76.9% (10/13). Certificate applications achieved higher approval rates dataset-wide than Full Applications. Wards with higher proportions of Certificate applications also recorded higher overall approval rates.
H11 citation frequency: Fallowfield recorded H11 citations in 60.0% of refusals (3/5). Withington recorded 16.7% (1/6). Old Moat recorded 50.0% (1/2). All H11 citations across all three wards occurred in Full Application refusals.
Certificate approval variation: Old Moat’s Certificate approval rate (92.3%) exceeded Withington’s (68.8%) by 23.5 percentage points. The dataset does not record the factors underlying this variation. Both wards showed Certificate refusals citing evidentiary insufficiency only.
Within-Ward Variation
Key Finding
Ward boundaries aggregate multiple street contexts. Within Withington, one Full Application was approved (8 Beech Grove) and one was refused (37 Parsonage Road, citing H11). Both streets share the same ward designation but produced different outcomes. Street-level HMO concentration appeared more closely aligned with refusal reasoning than ward-level designation.
The Only Approved Full Application
Reference 143315/FO/2025 (8 Beech Grove, Withington) represents the only approved Full Application across all 45 applications in the dataset. It was determined in 134 days, exceeding the standard 8-week target timeframe. No Full Applications were approved in Fallowfield or Old Moat.
Conclusion
Ward-level approval rates varied across the three study areas: Old Moat 84.6% (11/13), Withington 64.7% (11/17), Fallowfield 61.5% (8/13).
Variation was associated with differences in application type mix and H11 citation frequency. Old Moat recorded the highest Certificate concentration (92.9%) and the highest overall approval rate. Fallowfield recorded the highest Full Application proportion (23.1%) and the highest H11 citation rate (60% of refusals).
Certificate approval rates also varied by ward: 92.3% (Old Moat), 80.0% (Fallowfield), 68.8% (Withington). The dataset does not record the factors underlying this variation.
All Full Application refusals in this dataset cited Policy H11. The only approved Full Application was in Withington (8 Beech Grove, 143315/FO/2025).
Ward boundaries aggregate diverse street-level contexts. Street-level HMO concentration appeared more closely aligned with refusal reasoning than ward-level designation.
About This Research
This article forms part of the South Manchester HMO Planning Intelligence series, a structured analysis of HMO-related planning applications submitted to Manchester City Council between January 2024 and March 2026. The dataset currently covers 100 applications across 14 South Manchester wards, examining approval rates, refusal patterns, application types, submission channels, and determination timelines. All analysis is based on publicly available planning records.
Access the Complete Analysis
The South Manchester HMO Planning Intelligence Report provides complete ward breakdown analysis, street-level density assessment frameworks, and Policy H11 citation patterns across all 45 applications.
Also available as individual ward reports:
Withington — £39 · Fallowfield — £39 · Old Moat — £39