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Most Common Planning Applications in Blackburn with Darwen

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Blackburn with Darwen is 37.4% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

12,526 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026
92.6%
Safest: Conservatory
55.2%
Lowest: HMO
37.4%
Spread
17
Types ranked

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All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Conservatory31028723
92.6%
2Hip-to-Gable Conversion69636
91.3%
3Rear Extension2,1661,953213
90.2%
4Annex88799
89.8%
5Garage / Parking1,3891,234155
88.8%
6Outbuilding28225032
88.7%
7Side Extension1,057933124
88.3%
8Front Extension15713819
87.9%
9Extension (General)1,9111,677234
87.8%
10Basement1018813
87.1%
11Wraparound Extension21518431
85.6%
12New Build45037872
84.0%
13Loft Conversion625210
83.9%
14Dormer559458101
81.9%
15Change of Use (Residential)1,076846230
78.6%
16Flat Conversion1027329
71.6%
17HMO291613
55.2%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 92.6% approval rate. HMO? Just 55.2%.
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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 55.2% to 92.6%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.
2
Visibility drives scrutiny. Project types that change the external appearance — dormers, loft conversions, hip-to-gable — face more resistance than those that don't. The more visible your proposal, the more carefully it needs designing.
3
These are council-wide averages. Your ward, your street and your immediate neighbours all shift the odds. The comparable decisions near your property are the best indicator of outcome.

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

1,383 planning applications in Blackburn with Darwen 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 Blackburn with Darwen planning data

Methodology: Classifies 12,526 decisions in Blackburn with Darwen into residential project types using keyword matching against proposal descriptions (matching generate_site_data.py subtype rules). A single application may appear in multiple categories. Data from Blackburn with Darwen Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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