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Most Common Planning Applications in Harlow

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Harlow is 4.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

2,602 real decisions·13 project types·Updated June 2026
100.0%
Safest: Dormer
95.2%
Lowest: HMO
4.8%
Spread
13
Types ranked

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All 13 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Dormer51510
100.0%
2Side Extension1711710
100.0%
3Loft Conversion44440
100.0%
4Front Extension69690
100.0%
5Conservatory39390
100.0%
6Change of Use (Residential)1131130
100.0%
7Annex23230
100.0%
8Garage / Parking4474434
99.1%
9New Build1081071
99.1%
10Extension (General)100991
99.0%
11Outbuilding94931
98.9%
12Rear Extension4424366
98.6%
13HMO21201
95.2%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A dormer application has a 100.0% approval rate. HMO? Just 95.2%.
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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 95.2% to 100.0%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.
2
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.
3
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

56 planning applications in Harlow 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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More Harlow planning data

Methodology: Classifies 2,602 decisions in Harlow 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 Harlow Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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