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

Basement at 100.0% based on 20 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Coventry?

HMO at 71.1% based on 128 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Coventry?

From 100.0% (Basement) to 71.1% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Coventry

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Coventry is 28.9% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

2,372 real decisions·16 project types·Updated June 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Coventry

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

All 16 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Basement	20	20	0	100.0%
2	Wraparound Extension	67	64	3	95.5%
3	Front Extension	54	51	3	94.4%
4	Flat Conversion	30	28	2	93.3%
5	Side Extension	219	203	16	92.7%
6	Conservatory	26	24	2	92.3%
7	Outbuilding	110	99	11	90.0%
8	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	47	42	5	89.4%
9	Garage / Parking	379	333	46	87.9%
10	Extension (General)	132	113	19	85.6%
11	Loft Conversion	120	102	18	85.0%
12	Rear Extension	592	498	94	84.1%
13	Dormer	162	135	27	83.3%
14	New Build	151	122	29	80.8%
15	Change of Use (Residential)	184	132	52	71.7%
16	HMO	128	91	37	71.1%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A basement application has a 100.0% approval rate. HMO? Just 71.1%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 71.1% to 100.0%. 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

371 planning applications in Coventry 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Coventry planning data

Methodology: Classifies 2,372 decisions in Coventry 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 Coventry Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →