Data-backed planning intelligence · 2,500,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Bexley

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 7,902 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Bexley.

7,902 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
82.6%
Approval Rate
7,902
Decisions
6,527
Approved
1,375
Refused
82.6% approved. But 1,375 refused since 2020. Each refusal cost the homeowner time and money on drawings and application fees. Understanding your local data before you apply is the difference between confidence and a costly gamble.

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Why rear extension approval rates matter

Rear extensions sit in the middle of the pack nationally. They're common enough that councils have clear precedent — but that cuts both ways. If your neighbours have been refused, that precedent works against you too.

Ward gap in Bexley: BLACKF approves 100.0% of rear extension applications while WHEATH sits at 85.7%. That 14.3% gap means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.

Rear Extension approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1BLACKF1111
100.0%
2FALCWE99
100.0%
3LONGN66
100.0%
4SIDCPN1211
91.7%
5BEXHTH87
87.5%
6WHEATH76
85.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A rear extension has a 100.0% approval rate in BLACKF but just 85.7% in WHEATH.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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How rear extensions compare to other project types

Not all applications are treated equally. Here's how rear extensions stack up against other common projects in Bexley.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory499
91.0%
Basement150
86.7%
Garage / Parking4,914
86.2%
Front Extension1,091
86.1%
Side Extension3,719
85.9%
Outbuilding964
85.8%
Extension (General)1,677
85.3%
Wraparound Extension1,989
84.6%
Flat Conversion316
84.2%
New Build1,489
82.8%
Rear Extension7,902
82.6%
Annex135
82.2%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion1,096
80.4%
Change of Use (Residential)1,264
80.2%
Dormer2,678
79.7%
Loft Conversion326
77.3%
HMO266
65.8%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
82.6% of rear extension applications in Bexley get approved. That means 1,375 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
2
Your ward matters more than you think. The 14.3% gap between BLACKF (100.0%) and WHEATH (85.7%) means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.
3
Council averages are starting points, not guarantees. The decisions that matter most are the comparable ones near your specific property — because planning officers look at precedent, character and the immediate context of your street.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

1,375 rear extension applications in Bexley have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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More Bexley planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 7,902 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Bexley, January 2020 to present. Classification uses keyword matching against proposal descriptions (matching generate_site_data.py rules). A single application may appear in multiple categories. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid applications excluded. Data from Bexley Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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