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

Basement at 83.6% based on 1,503 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Brent?

HMO at 44.5% based on 740 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Brent?

From 83.6% (Basement) to 44.5% (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 39.1% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

32,963 real decisions·17 project types·Updated August 2026

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All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Basement	1,503	1,256	247	83.6%
2	Garage / Parking	7,268	5,757	1,511	79.2%
3	New Build	1,935	1,524	411	78.8%
4	Extension (General)	1,286	1,006	280	78.2%
5	Wraparound Extension	1,398	1,075	323	76.9%
6	Conservatory	636	486	150	76.4%
7	Dormer	7,005	5,287	1,718	75.5%
8	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	2,389	1,802	587	75.4%
9	Side Extension	5,155	3,830	1,325	74.3%
10	Loft Conversion	4,278	3,135	1,143	73.3%
11	Rear Extension	12,230	8,880	3,350	72.6%
12	Flat Conversion	3,742	2,691	1,051	71.9%
13	Change of Use (Residential)	2,005	1,361	644	67.9%
14	Outbuilding	2,378	1,582	796	66.5%
15	Front Extension	760	489	271	64.3%
16	Annex	37	18	19	48.6%
17	HMO	740	329	411	44.5%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A basement application has a 83.6% approval rate. HMO? Just 44.5%.
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What the data tells us

The range is massive: 44.5% to 83.6%. 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

7,911 planning applications in Brent have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A free, property-specific report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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More Brent planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 32,963 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 May 2026. Full methodology →