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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Bolton

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 149 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Bolton.

149 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
87.9%
Approval Rate
149
Decisions
131
Approved
18
Refused
87.9% approved. But 18 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.

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

Two houses on the same street can get different outcomes.
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 Bolton.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory131
93.9%
Garage / Parking266
89.1%
New Build168
88.1%
Rear Extension149
87.9%
Side Extension91
85.7%
Extension (General)838
82.8%
Dormer104
82.7%
Flat Conversion21
81.0%
Outbuilding28
78.6%
Change of Use (Residential)172
78.5%
HMO21
71.4%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
87.9% of rear extension applications in Bolton get approved. That means 18 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
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

18 rear extension applications in Bolton 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 Bolton planning data

Methodology: Based on 149 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Bolton, 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 Bolton Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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