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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Leeds

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 10,318 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Leeds.

10,318 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
88.9%
Approval Rate
10,318
Decisions
9,173
Approved
1,145
Refused
88.9% approved. But 1,145 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 Leeds.

TypeDecisionsRate
Rear Extension10,318
88.9%
Wraparound Extension2,061
87.2%
Conservatory1,077
87.2%
Side Extension7,066
86.1%
Extension (General)3,316
85.3%
Garage / Parking6,187
84.5%
Outbuilding1,895
82.7%
Loft Conversion732
82.4%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion460
80.9%
Dormer4,515
80.6%
Annex222
79.7%
HMO1,017
79.0%
Front Extension1,433
78.2%
Change of Use (Residential)2,318
76.8%
Basement674
76.6%
Flat Conversion237
75.1%
New Build749
72.4%
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What the data tells us

1
88.9% of rear extension applications in Leeds get approved. That means 1,145 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

1,145 rear extension applications in Leeds 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 Leeds planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 10,318 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Leeds, 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 Leeds Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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