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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Harrow

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 10,671 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Harrow.

10,671 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
75.4%
Approval Rate
10,671
Decisions
8,043
Approved
2,628
Refused
75.4% approved. But 2,628 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 Harrow.

TypeDecisionsRate
Hip-to-Gable Conversion66
86.4%
Conservatory588
80.8%
Outbuilding1,794
78.8%
New Build63
77.8%
Front Extension1,922
77.3%
Extension (General)923
76.7%
Garage / Parking3,725
76.4%
Wraparound Extension290
75.9%
Rear Extension10,671
75.4%
Dormer4,314
74.6%
Side Extension4,286
73.7%
Loft Conversion119
70.6%
Basement268
69.8%
Flat Conversion278
63.3%
Change of Use (Residential)761
62.5%
HMO304
55.6%
Annex78
43.6%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
75.4% of rear extension applications in Harrow get approved. That means 2,628 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

2,628 rear extension applications in Harrow 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 Harrow planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 10,671 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Harrow, 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 Harrow Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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