What is the average rear extension approval rate in the UK?

Across 211 councils and 607,566 decisions, the average approval rate is 90.9%. But rates vary enormously by council and location.

Which council has the highest rear extension approval rate?

Ards and North Down Borough Council at 99.9% based on 1,592 decisions.

How many rear extension applications get refused?

Of 607,566 decisions nationally, 81,677 were refused. That is roughly 1 in 7 applications.

Rear Extension: What Are Your Chances? UK Approval Rates (September 2026)

10 Best Councils for Rear Extensions

These councils approve rear extension applications at the highest rate. But remember, a high council average can hide wards where refusal rates are double the headline figure.

#	Council	Decisions	Refused	Rate
1	Ards and North Down Borough Council	1,592	1	99.9%
2	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council	617	2	99.7%
3	Derry City and Strabane District Council	1,327	4	99.7%
4	Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council	479	2	99.6%
5	Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council	624	3	99.5%
6	Fermanagh and Omagh District Council	539	3	99.4%
7	Hinckley & Bosworth	881	5	99.4%
8	Mid and East Antrim Borough Council	543	4	99.3%
9	Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council	1,107	11	99.0%
10	Belfast City Council	3,261	38	98.8%

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10 Hardest Councils for Rear Extensions

These councils refuse rear extensions at the highest rate. If you're planning a rear extension in one of these areas, checking your local data first could save you thousands in wasted fees.

#	Council	Decisions	Refused	Rate
1	Greenwich	5,681	1,895	66.6%
2	Brent	12,230	3,350	72.6%
3	Waltham Forest	9,111	2,252	75.3%
4	Harrow	10,752	2,646	75.4%
5	Lewisham	4,803	1,170	75.6%
6	Barnet	18,005	4,384	75.7%
7	Kingston	7,695	1,863	75.8%
8	Gravesham	401	96	76.1%
9	Barking & Dagenham	5,225	1,245	76.2%
10	Redbridge	12,397	2,816	77.3%

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All 211 Councils Ranked for Rear Extensions

#	Council	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Ards and North Down Borough Council	1,592	1,591	1	99.9%
2	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council	617	615	2	99.7%
3	Derry City and Strabane District Council	1,327	1,323	4	99.7%
4	Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council	479	477	2	99.6%
5	Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council	624	621	3	99.5%
6	Fermanagh and Omagh District Council	539	536	3	99.4%
7	Hinckley & Bosworth	881	876	5	99.4%
8	Mid and East Antrim Borough Council	543	539	4	99.3%
9	Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council	1,107	1,096	11	99.0%
10	Belfast City Council	3,261	3,223	38	98.8%
11	Stockton-on-Tees	409	404	5	98.8%
12	North East Lincolnshire	396	390	6	98.5%
13	East Dunbartonshire	372	366	6	98.4%
14	Blaby	953	937	16	98.3%
15	Lincoln	977	960	17	98.3%
16	South Ribble	1,061	1,043	18	98.3%
17	Halton	624	613	11	98.2%
18	Neath Port Talbot	4,361	4,282	79	98.2%
19	Bromsgrove & Redditch	523	513	10	98.1%
20	South Norfolk	977	958	19	98.1%
21	Broadland	1,118	1,096	22	98.0%
22	Cheltenham	2,520	2,469	51	98.0%
23	County Durham	1,582	1,546	36	97.7%
24	Tamworth	1,129	1,103	26	97.7%
25	Erewash	821	801	20	97.6%
26	North Norfolk	322	314	8	97.5%
27	Knowsley	1,452	1,414	38	97.4%
28	Rushmoor	975	950	25	97.4%
29	Winchester	994	967	27	97.3%
30	Plymouth	1,296	1,260	36	97.2%
31	Rugby	2,483	2,413	70	97.2%
32	Cornwall	1,200	1,165	35	97.1%
33	Hartlepool	467	453	14	97.0%
34	North West Leicestershire	298	289	9	97.0%
35	Doncaster	1,801	1,745	56	96.9%
36	Gateshead	1,432	1,387	45	96.9%
37	West Suffolk	5,534	5,351	183	96.7%
38	Newry, Mourne and Down District Council	802	774	28	96.5%
39	Wakefield	1,883	1,818	65	96.5%
40	Cannock Chase	1,024	986	38	96.3%
41	Canterbury	2,076	2,000	76	96.3%
42	North East Derbyshire	1,151	1,108	43	96.3%
43	Basingstoke & Deane	1,914	1,842	72	96.2%
44	Newcastle upon Tyne	318	306	12	96.2%
45	West Oxfordshire	1,052	1,011	41	96.1%
46	Derby	1,698	1,630	68	96.0%
47	Melton	353	339	14	96.0%
48	Norwich	1,452	1,394	58	96.0%
49	North Tyneside	1,375	1,319	56	95.9%
50	Forest of Dean	576	552	24	95.8%
51	Rhondda Cynon Taf	603	577	26	95.7%
52	South Kesteven	1,053	1,008	45	95.7%
53	Cotswold	2,468	2,358	110	95.5%
54	Gedling	1,050	1,003	47	95.5%
55	Lewes & Eastbourne	332	317	15	95.5%
56	Sunderland	1,070	1,022	48	95.5%
57	Westmorland and Furness	3,048	2,911	137	95.5%
58	Barnsley	3,843	3,666	177	95.4%
59	Cambridge	1,597	1,524	73	95.4%
60	Darlington	564	538	26	95.4%
61	Lake District NPA	520	496	24	95.4%
62	Mid Sussex	1,337	1,276	61	95.4%
63	Horsham	2,252	2,143	109	95.2%
64	Redcar and Cleveland	1,278	1,217	61	95.2%
65	Telford & Wrekin	2,582	2,457	125	95.2%
66	Bath & NE Somerset	5,021	4,777	244	95.1%
67	Broxtowe	1,539	1,463	76	95.1%
68	Chichester	684	650	34	95.0%
69	Nottingham	1,148	1,089	59	94.9%
70	Tewkesbury	1,366	1,297	69	94.9%
71	Torfaen	584	553	31	94.7%
72	North Somerset	3,286	3,109	177	94.6%
73	Test Valley	785	743	42	94.6%
74	Flintshire	989	935	54	94.5%
75	Wiltshire	16,085	15,206	879	94.5%
76	East Cambridgeshire	1,334	1,259	75	94.4%
77	Dudley	4,051	3,822	229	94.3%
78	East Hampshire	1,320	1,243	77	94.2%
79	Fenland	606	570	36	94.1%
80	Stevenage	1,226	1,152	74	94.0%
81	Swindon	1,263	1,186	77	93.9%
82	York	2,624	2,464	160	93.9%
83	North Hertfordshire	453	425	28	93.8%
84	Warwick	3,723	3,491	232	93.8%
85	Brighton & Hove	506	474	32	93.7%
86	Dorset	2,074	1,943	131	93.7%
87	Gwynedd	649	608	41	93.7%
88	Camden	3,699	3,462	237	93.6%
89	Pembrokeshire Coast National Park	283	265	18	93.6%
90	North Yorkshire	495	463	32	93.5%
91	Sandwell	3,182	2,972	210	93.4%
92	Chorley	1,047	976	71	93.2%
93	Huntingdonshire	304	283	21	93.1%
94	New Forest	2,849	2,653	196	93.1%
95	South Downs	1,011	941	70	93.1%
96	Cheshire East	2,749	2,557	192	93.0%
97	Great Yarmouth	427	397	30	93.0%
98	North Northamptonshire	712	662	50	93.0%
99	Tonbridge & Malling	1,638	1,524	114	93.0%
100	Pembrokeshire	407	378	29	92.9%
101	Dover	890	826	64	92.8%
102	Hammersmith & Fulham	5,342	4,950	392	92.7%
103	Rotherham	778	721	57	92.7%
104	Wandsworth	6,430	5,962	468	92.7%
105	Rutland	1,010	934	76	92.5%
106	Babergh Mid Suffolk	1,705	1,574	131	92.3%
107	Southwark	3,983	3,675	308	92.3%
108	Isle of Wight	1,447	1,334	113	92.2%
109	Three Rivers	698	643	55	92.1%
110	Derbyshire Dales	294	270	24	91.8%
111	Harborough	612	561	51	91.7%
112	Lancaster	483	443	40	91.7%
113	Sheffield	1,893	1,736	157	91.7%
114	Rushcliffe	2,441	2,237	204	91.6%
115	Exeter	1,096	1,003	93	91.5%
116	New Forest National Park	970	888	82	91.5%
117	Oldham	2,573	2,355	218	91.5%
118	Bury	1,457	1,329	128	91.2%
119	Solihull	1,763	1,608	155	91.2%
120	South Staffordshire	304	277	27	91.1%
121	Sefton	580	528	52	91.0%
122	Selby	840	764	76	91.0%
123	Brecon Beacons National Park	413	375	38	90.8%
124	Kingston upon Hull	1,146	1,041	105	90.8%
125	Bristol	5,757	5,220	537	90.7%
126	Bassetlaw	751	680	71	90.5%
127	Trafford	5,917	5,352	565	90.5%
128	Wigan	778	704	74	90.5%
129	Hastings	718	649	69	90.4%
130	South Gloucestershire	3,996	3,612	384	90.4%
131	Basildon	296	267	29	90.2%
132	Luton	2,327	2,096	231	90.1%
133	Middlesbrough	548	494	54	90.1%
134	Reigate & Banstead	2,738	2,467	271	90.1%
135	Southend-on-Sea	454	409	45	90.1%
136	Wirral	2,282	2,057	225	90.1%
137	Lichfield	688	619	69	90.0%
138	Warrington	3,287	2,959	328	90.0%
139	Watford	1,674	1,507	167	90.0%
140	Kensington & Chelsea	3,151	2,825	326	89.7%
141	Kirklees	5,890	5,256	634	89.2%
142	Portsmouth	2,254	2,010	244	89.2%
143	Peterborough	5,860	5,222	638	89.1%
144	Surrey Heath	1,423	1,265	158	88.9%
145	Calderdale	1,379	1,225	154	88.8%
146	Leeds	10,426	9,259	1,167	88.8%
147	High Peak	1,199	1,063	136	88.7%
148	Haringey	4,480	3,968	512	88.6%
149	Oxford	1,440	1,275	165	88.5%
150	Stafford	745	659	86	88.5%
151	Glasgow	1,344	1,185	159	88.2%
152	Eastleigh	5,814	5,120	694	88.1%
153	Dartford	2,130	1,874	256	88.0%
154	Bradford	6,388	5,605	783	87.7%
155	Sevenoaks	1,735	1,522	213	87.7%
156	Stoke-on-Trent	351	308	43	87.7%
157	Newark & Sherwood	1,165	1,020	145	87.6%
158	Runnymede	3,567	3,123	444	87.6%
159	Epsom & Ewell	2,419	2,116	303	87.5%
160	Pendle	582	509	73	87.5%
161	Westminster	3,245	2,840	405	87.5%
162	Gloucester	1,045	910	135	87.1%
163	Hart	2,256	1,965	291	87.1%
164	Staffordshire Moorlands	1,369	1,189	180	86.9%
165	Hertsmere	1,306	1,131	175	86.6%
166	Maidstone	317	274	43	86.4%
167	Swale	254	219	35	86.2%
168	Castle Point	1,120	964	156	86.1%
169	Spelthorne	642	552	90	86.0%
170	Tameside	1,196	1,026	170	85.8%
171	Ealing	23,612	20,193	3,419	85.5%
172	Bolton	372	317	55	85.2%
173	Hounslow	26,894	22,849	4,045	85.0%
174	Hackney	4,038	3,429	609	84.9%
175	Windsor & Maidenhead	2,295	1,938	357	84.4%
176	Oadby & Wigston	801	672	129	83.9%
177	Elmbridge	24,756	20,707	4,049	83.6%
178	Slough	7,233	6,050	1,183	83.6%
179	Brentwood	3,943	3,293	650	83.5%
180	Woking	2,323	1,935	388	83.3%
181	Torbay	358	298	60	83.2%
182	Bexley	8,281	6,876	1,405	83.0%
183	Coventry	714	592	122	82.9%
184	Richmond	7,102	5,878	1,224	82.8%
185	Bromley	10,936	8,998	1,938	82.3%
186	Lambeth	6,212	5,104	1,108	82.2%
187	Havering	8,663	7,108	1,555	82.1%
188	Guildford	4,019	3,290	729	81.9%
189	Merton	5,834	4,779	1,055	81.9%
190	Maldon	752	614	138	81.6%
191	Croydon	10,861	8,841	2,020	81.4%
192	Caerphilly	985	796	189	80.8%
193	Islington	11,686	9,436	2,250	80.7%
194	Swansea	829	669	160	80.7%
195	Tower Hamlets	1,901	1,534	367	80.7%
196	Sutton	7,319	5,859	1,460	80.1%
197	Thurrock	3,707	2,929	778	79.0%
198	Enfield	10,165	8,020	2,145	78.9%
199	East Hertfordshire	5,443	4,288	1,155	78.8%
200	Newham	4,600	3,617	983	78.6%
201	Hillingdon	10,344	8,122	2,222	78.5%
202	Redbridge	12,397	9,581	2,816	77.3%
203	Barking & Dagenham	5,225	3,980	1,245	76.2%
204	Gravesham	401	305	96	76.1%
205	Kingston	7,695	5,832	1,863	75.8%
206	Barnet	18,005	13,621	4,384	75.7%
207	Lewisham	4,803	3,633	1,170	75.6%
208	Harrow	10,752	8,106	2,646	75.4%
209	Waltham Forest	9,111	6,859	2,252	75.3%
210	Brent	12,230	8,880	3,350	72.6%
211	Greenwich	5,681	3,786	1,895	66.6%

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What the data tells us

1

Where you live changes everything. The gap between the best council (Ards and North Down Borough Council, 99.9%) and the worst (Greenwich, 66.6%) is 33.3%. Same project, completely different odds.

2

81,677 rear extension applications have been refused since 2020. Each one cost the homeowner time and money. Most of those refusals were predictable from the local data.

3

National averages hide local variation. Your council rate is useful context. Your ward rate is better. But the comparable decisions near your specific property are the only real predictor of your outcome.

Rear Extension Approval Rates Across the UK

Check Your Postcode for Approval Chances

10 Best Councils for Rear Extensions

10 Hardest Councils for Rear Extensions

Your council's approval rate is just the starting point

All 211 Councils Ranked for Rear Extensions

What the data tells us

The UK average is meaningless. Your street isn't average.

More national planning data