Woking in Surrey includes Woking town, Knaphill, and Byfleet. About 62% of the borough is Green Belt, framing settlements and protecting rural villages. Known for heritage buildings, market towns, and historic streets, planning balances residential, commercial, and conversion projects with conservation.
In the last year Woking decided 736 applications which is well below the national average of 980. The approval rate was 82% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 61% of applications were decided on time, (on par with the national average of 59%). Stats updated July 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Woking performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
Significantly, 62.0% of Woking is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to high levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Woking protects the villages of Knaphill, Horsell, and West Byfleet, including stretches of Surrey Hills countryside, ancient woodland, and river corridors, which are particularly sensitive to housing expansion and urban sprawl from Woking town and surrounding commuter areas.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
Alongside acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We advise on and prepare planning applications across a range of development types, including:
Thoughtful, well-considered design is often the key to securing Planning Permission, particularly on sites where others struggle to find a way forward. Let’s discuss your project.
Woking in Surrey includes Woking town, Knaphill, and Byfleet. About 62% of the borough is Green Belt, framing settlements and protecting rural villages. Known for heritage buildings, market towns, and historic streets, planning balances residential, commercial, and conversion projects with conservation.
In the last year Woking decided 736 applications which is well below the national average of 980. The approval rate was 82% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 61% of applications were decided on time, (on par with the national average of 59%). Stats updated July 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Woking performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
Significantly, 62.0% of Woking is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to high levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Woking protects the villages of Knaphill, Horsell, and West Byfleet, including stretches of Surrey Hills countryside, ancient woodland, and river corridors, which are particularly sensitive to housing expansion and urban sprawl from Woking town and surrounding commuter areas.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
Alongside acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We advise on and prepare planning applications across a range of development types, including:
Thoughtful, well-considered design is often the key to securing Planning Permission, particularly on sites where others struggle to find a way forward. Let’s discuss your project.
