Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,780,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Brent

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 12,230 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Brent.

12,230 real decisions·January 2020 to May 2026·Updated August 2026
72.6%
Approval Rate
12,230
Decisions
8,880
Approved
3,350
Refused
72.6% approved. But 3,350 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.
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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 Brent.

TypeDecisionsRate
Basement1,503
83.6%
Garage / Parking7,268
79.2%
New Build1,935
78.8%
Extension (General)1,286
78.2%
Wraparound Extension1,398
76.9%
Conservatory636
76.4%
Dormer7,005
75.5%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion2,389
75.4%
Side Extension5,155
74.3%
Loft Conversion4,278
73.3%
Rear Extension12,230
72.6%
Flat Conversion3,742
71.9%
Change of Use (Residential)2,005
67.9%
Outbuilding2,378
66.5%
Front Extension760
64.3%
Annex37
48.6%
HMO740
44.5%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
72.6% of rear extension applications in Brent get approved. That means 3,350 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

3,350 rear extension 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Brent planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 12,230 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Brent, January 2020 to May 2026. 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 Brent Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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