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Rear Extension Approval Rates in Ealing

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 22,565 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Ealing.

22,565 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
83.1%
Approval Rate
22,565
Decisions
18,748
Approved
3,817
Refused
83.1% approved. But 3,817 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.

Ward gap in Ealing: Central Greenford approves 85.7% of rear extension applications while Lady Margaret sits at 60.0%. That 25.7% gap means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.

Rear Extension approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1Central Greenford76
85.7%
2North Greenford65
83.3%
3North Acton54
80.0%
4Lady Margaret53
60.0%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A rear extension has a 85.7% approval rate in Central Greenford but just 60.0% in Lady Margaret.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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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 Ealing.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build1,032
95.4%
Basement3,359
89.6%
Extension (General)2,532
89.2%
Garage / Parking12,842
88.4%
Conservatory1,707
87.2%
Loft Conversion12,650
86.3%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion4,239
85.9%
Wraparound Extension1,676
84.0%
Rear Extension22,565
83.1%
Dormer2,117
83.0%
Side Extension7,960
83.0%
Outbuilding4,281
81.7%
Change of Use (Residential)3,506
81.3%
Flat Conversion3,775
80.9%
Annex255
79.6%
Front Extension1,823
77.2%
HMO520
69.6%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
83.1% of rear extension applications in Ealing get approved. That means 3,817 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
2
Your ward matters more than you think. The 25.7% gap between Central Greenford (85.7%) and Lady Margaret (60.0%) means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.
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

3,817 rear extension applications in Ealing have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Ealing planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 22,565 planning decisions classified as rear extensions 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 →
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