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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Buckinghamshire

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 8,152 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Buckinghamshire.

8,152 real decisions·January 2020 to July 2026·Updated August 2026
87.7%
Approval Rate
8,152
Decisions
7,149
Approved
1,003
Refused
87.7% approved. But 1,003 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 Buckinghamshire.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory998
90.1%
Front Extension2,361
89.1%
Wraparound Extension789
89.1%
Side Extension4,584
88.3%
Basement264
88.3%
Rear Extension8,152
87.7%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion460
84.8%
Dormer2,775
84.5%
Loft Conversion1,743
84.1%
Garage / Parking6,041
83.8%
Extension (General)961
83.1%
Annex255
82.7%
Outbuilding1,932
82.0%
Flat Conversion146
79.5%
New Build1,361
76.9%
Change of Use (Residential)1,093
76.4%
HMO90
68.9%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
87.7% of rear extension applications in Buckinghamshire get approved. That means 1,003 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

1,003 rear extension applications in Buckinghamshire 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 Buckinghamshire planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 8,152 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Buckinghamshire, January 2020 to July 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 Buckinghamshire Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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