Data-backed planning intelligence · 2,500,000+ decisions analysed across England

Most Common Planning Applications in Lancaster

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Lancaster is 10.9% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

4,014 real decisions·12 project types·Updated March 2026
96.6%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
85.7%
Lowest: Change of Use (Residential)
10.9%
Spread
12
Types ranked

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All 12 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension29281
96.6%
2Conservatory1601537
95.6%
3Garage / Parking26625115
94.4%
4Extension (General)43440727
93.8%
5Rear Extension35433222
93.8%
6Side Extension14813810
93.2%
7Hip-to-Gable Conversion56524
92.9%
8New Build106988
92.5%
9Loft Conversion26242
92.3%
10Dormer21119219
91.0%
11Outbuilding88808
90.9%
12Change of Use (Residential)988414
85.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 96.6% approval rate. Change of Use (Residential)? Just 85.7%.
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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 85.7% to 96.6%. 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

269 planning applications in Lancaster 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.

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More Lancaster planning data

Methodology: Classifies 4,014 decisions in Lancaster 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 Lancaster Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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