What type of planning application is most likely to be approved in Brent?

Basement at 83.5% based on 1,501 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Brent?

HMO at 44.0% based on 722 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Brent?

From 83.5% (Basement) to 44.0% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Brent

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Brent is 39.5% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

32,531 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Brent

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Basement	1,501	1,253	248	83.5%
2	Garage / Parking	7,238	5,733	1,505	79.2%
3	New Build	1,953	1,540	413	78.9%
4	Extension (General)	1,265	990	275	78.3%
5	Wraparound Extension	1,365	1,051	314	77.0%
6	Conservatory	630	482	148	76.5%
7	Dormer	6,958	5,255	1,703	75.5%
8	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	2,366	1,781	585	75.3%
9	Side Extension	5,106	3,799	1,307	74.4%
10	Loft Conversion	4,236	3,103	1,133	73.3%
11	Rear Extension	12,106	8,792	3,314	72.6%
12	Flat Conversion	3,733	2,688	1,045	72.0%
13	Change of Use (Residential)	1,985	1,351	634	68.1%
14	Outbuilding	2,356	1,564	792	66.4%
15	Front Extension	752	484	268	64.4%
16	Annex	37	18	19	48.6%
17	HMO	722	318	404	44.0%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A basement application has a 83.5% approval rate. HMO? Just 44.0%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 44.0% to 83.5%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.

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.

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

7,808 planning applications in Brent 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.

Check My Postcode First

Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Brent planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 32,531 decisions in Brent 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 Brent Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →