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

Flat Conversion at 89.5% based on 2,891 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Lambeth?

HMO at 66.4% based on 256 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Lambeth?

From 89.5% (Flat Conversion) to 66.4% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Lambeth

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Lambeth is 23.1% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

30,422 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Lambeth

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	Flat Conversion	2,891	2,586	305	89.5%
2	Garage / Parking	4,482	3,918	564	87.4%
3	Conservatory	343	299	44	87.2%
4	New Build	2,101	1,799	302	85.6%
5	Extension (General)	1,481	1,260	221	85.1%
6	Basement	3,456	2,936	520	85.0%
7	Side Extension	2,175	1,847	328	84.9%
8	Outbuilding	939	782	157	83.3%
9	Wraparound Extension	381	315	66	82.7%
10	Rear Extension	5,992	4,925	1,067	82.2%
11	Dormer	3,133	2,549	584	81.4%
12	Change of Use (Residential)	2,548	2,013	535	79.0%
13	Loft Conversion	3,494	2,733	761	78.2%
14	Front Extension	71	55	16	77.5%
15	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	461	354	107	76.8%
16	Annex	61	46	15	75.4%
17	HMO	256	170	86	66.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A flat conversion application has a 89.5% approval rate. HMO? Just 66.4%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 66.4% to 89.5%. 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

4,694 planning applications in Lambeth 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 Lambeth planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 30,422 decisions in Lambeth 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 Lambeth Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →