Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,290,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Cornwall

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 1,113 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Cornwall.

1,113 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated June 2026
97.1%
Approval Rate
1,113
Decisions
1,081
Approved
32
Refused
97.1% approved. But 32 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 Cornwall.

TypeDecisionsRate
Wraparound Extension63
98.4%
Side Extension601
98.2%
Conservatory556
97.7%
Basement110
97.3%
Rear Extension1,113
97.1%
Dormer630
96.3%
Extension (General)3,855
96.1%
Annex760
95.3%
Outbuilding1,354
94.5%
Garage / Parking3,582
93.8%
Loft Conversion420
93.6%
HMO59
93.2%
Front Extension117
93.2%
Flat Conversion57
93.0%
Change of Use (Residential)1,598
92.1%
New Build927
82.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
97.1% of rear extension applications in Cornwall get approved. That means 32 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

32 rear extension applications in Cornwall 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 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Cornwall planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 1,113 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Cornwall, January 2020 to present. 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 Cornwall Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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