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Rear Extension Approval Rates in Lewes & Eastbourne

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 293 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Lewes & Eastbourne.

293 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
95.9%
Approval Rate
293
Decisions
281
Approved
12
Refused
95.9% approved. But 12 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.

Ward gap in Lewes & Eastbourne: Ouse Valley & Ringmer approves 100.0% of rear extension applications while East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs sits at 90.9%. That 9.1% gap means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.

Rear Extension approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1Ouse Valley & Ringmer1010
100.0%
2Chailey, Barcombe & Hamsey55
100.0%
3Seaford East55
100.0%
4East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs1110
90.9%
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These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A rear extension has a 100.0% approval rate in Ouse Valley & Ringmer but just 90.9% in East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs.
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 Lewes & Eastbourne.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory68
98.5%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion35
97.1%
Loft Conversion84
96.4%
Rear Extension293
95.9%
Dormer147
95.2%
Extension (General)74
94.6%
Front Extension55
94.5%
Side Extension164
93.9%
Wraparound Extension20
90.0%
Garage / Parking320
89.4%
Outbuilding95
86.3%
Annex40
80.0%
New Build87
79.3%
Change of Use (Residential)65
73.8%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
95.9% of rear extension applications in Lewes & Eastbourne get approved. That means 12 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
2
Your ward matters more than you think. The 9.1% gap between Ouse Valley & Ringmer (100.0%) and East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs (90.9%) means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.
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

12 rear extension applications in Lewes & Eastbourne 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 Lewes & Eastbourne planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 293 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Lewes & Eastbourne, January 2020 to present. 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 Lewes & Eastbourne Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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