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

Conservatory at 92.2% based on 167 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Exeter?

New Build at 71.2% based on 66 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Exeter?

From 92.2% (Conservatory) to 71.2% (New Build). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Exeter

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Exeter is 21.0% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

6,750 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Exeter

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Conservatory	167	154	13	92.2%
2	Rear Extension	1,020	933	87	91.5%
3	Outbuilding	284	259	25	91.2%
4	Extension (General)	471	429	42	91.1%
5	Dormer	409	364	45	89.0%
6	Wraparound Extension	55	48	7	87.3%
7	Garage / Parking	770	667	103	86.6%
8	Loft Conversion	254	218	36	85.8%
9	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	67	57	10	85.1%
10	Change of Use (Residential)	341	290	51	85.0%
11	Front Extension	57	48	9	84.2%
12	Side Extension	404	338	66	83.7%
13	HMO	217	180	37	82.9%
14	Basement	73	58	15	79.5%
15	Flat Conversion	43	32	11	74.4%
16	Annex	53	39	14	73.6%
17	New Build	66	47	19	71.2%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 92.2% approval rate. New Build? Just 71.2%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 71.2% to 92.2%. 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

644 planning applications in Exeter 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.

Check My Postcode First

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

More Exeter planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 6,750 decisions in Exeter 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 Exeter Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →