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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Greenwich

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 5,637 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Greenwich.

5,637 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
66.6%
Approval Rate
5,637
Decisions
3,756
Approved
1,881
Refused
66.6% approved. But 1,881 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.
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 Greenwich.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build434
85.5%
Outbuilding847
79.0%
Flat Conversion570
78.1%
Extension (General)617
77.5%
Garage / Parking2,916
77.4%
Conservatory480
76.7%
Basement854
76.6%
Annex71
74.6%
Change of Use (Residential)1,588
70.7%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion838
70.5%
Dormer2,845
67.9%
Loft Conversion2,671
67.8%
Rear Extension5,637
66.6%
HMO663
62.7%
Side Extension2,066
59.8%
Wraparound Extension688
57.8%
Front Extension230
49.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
66.6% of rear extension applications in Greenwich get approved. That means 1,881 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

1,881 rear extension applications in Greenwich 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 Greenwich planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 5,637 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Greenwich, 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 Greenwich Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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