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

Conservatory at 84.3% based on 1,305 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Bromley?

HMO at 58.0% based on 174 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Bromley?

From 84.3% (Conservatory) to 58.0% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Bromley

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Bromley is 26.3% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

36,212 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026

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All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Conservatory	1,305	1,100	205	84.3%
2	Rear Extension	10,946	9,001	1,945	82.2%
3	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	1,648	1,328	320	80.6%
4	Basement	734	590	144	80.4%
5	Loft Conversion	4,048	3,224	824	79.6%
6	Garage / Parking	8,143	6,444	1,699	79.1%
7	Wraparound Extension	1,270	1,005	265	79.1%
8	Dormer	5,444	4,299	1,145	79.0%
9	Extension (General)	1,451	1,137	314	78.4%
10	Side Extension	5,503	4,296	1,207	78.1%
11	Front Extension	1,575	1,220	355	77.5%
12	Outbuilding	1,698	1,307	391	77.0%
13	Change of Use (Residential)	1,732	1,288	444	74.4%
14	Flat Conversion	255	189	66	74.1%
15	New Build	1,744	1,273	471	73.0%
16	Annex	224	139	85	62.1%
17	HMO	174	101	73	58.0%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 84.3% approval rate. HMO? Just 58.0%.
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What the data tells us

The range is massive: 58.0% to 84.3%. 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.

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More Bromley planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 36,212 decisions in Bromley 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 Bromley Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →