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

Loft Conversion Approval Rates in Ealing

Loft conversions change your roofline — and that makes them one of the more closely scrutinised application types. Councils scrutinise visibility, overlooking and street character more closely than for ground-level work. Here's what the data shows in Ealing.

12,991 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated June 2026
87.1%
Approval Rate
12,991
Decisions
11,319
Approved
1,672
Refused
87.1% approved. But 1,672 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.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Ealing

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

Check My Postcode

Why loft conversion approval rates matter

Loft conversions face more scrutiny than rear or side extensions because they change the property's profile from the street. Dormers, mansards and hip-to-gable alterations are particularly sensitive.

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

Two houses on the same street can get different outcomes.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

How loft conversions compare to other project types

Not all applications are treated equally. Here's how loft conversions stack up against other common projects in Ealing.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build1,090
95.9%
Basement3,610
90.6%
Extension (General)2,622
89.7%
Garage / Parking13,744
89.4%
Conservatory1,825
88.2%
Loft Conversion12,991
87.1%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion4,295
86.5%
Wraparound Extension1,804
85.8%
Side Extension8,482
84.6%
Dormer2,232
84.3%
Rear Extension23,987
84.0%
Outbuilding4,502
83.1%
Flat Conversion3,980
82.6%
Annex275
82.5%
Change of Use (Residential)3,625
82.4%
Front Extension1,915
79.4%
HMO549
74.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
87.1% of loft conversion applications in Ealing get approved. That means 1,672 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

1,672 loft conversion applications in Ealing 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 Ealing planning data

Nearby councils loft conversion data

Methodology: Based on 12,991 planning decisions classified as loft conversions in Ealing, 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 Ealing Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Ealing — Free