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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Elmbridge

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 24,705 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Elmbridge.

24,705 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
83.6%
Approval Rate
24,705
Decisions
20,663
Approved
4,042
Refused
83.6% approved. But 4,042 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 Elmbridge.

TypeDecisionsRate
HMO62
90.3%
Conservatory5,268
88.7%
New Build242
87.2%
Front Extension4,788
83.8%
Rear Extension24,705
83.6%
Wraparound Extension1,357
82.9%
Side Extension15,938
82.8%
Extension (General)1,998
81.3%
Annex240
80.8%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion1,943
80.1%
Dormer10,597
77.7%
Outbuilding3,154
76.7%
Loft Conversion4,249
76.6%
Garage / Parking16,255
76.2%
Flat Conversion120
74.2%
Basement1,437
72.7%
Change of Use (Residential)1,893
71.8%
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What the data tells us

1
83.6% of rear extension applications in Elmbridge get approved. That means 4,042 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

4,042 rear extension applications in Elmbridge 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 Elmbridge planning data

Methodology: Based on 24,705 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Elmbridge, January 2020 to August 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 Elmbridge Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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