Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,290,000+ decisions analysed across England

Loft Conversion Approval Rates in Lewisham

Loft conversions change your roofline — and that makes them one of the more closely scrutinised application types. Councils scrutinise visibility, overlooking and street character more closely than for ground-level work. Here's what the data shows in Lewisham.

2,647 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated June 2026
79.3%
Approval Rate
2,647
Decisions
2,098
Approved
549
Refused
79.3% approved. But 549 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.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Lewisham

See your ward's approval rate and nearby planning decisions — free and instant.

Check My Postcode

Why loft conversion approval rates matter

Loft conversions face more scrutiny than rear or side extensions because they change the property's profile from the street. Dormers, mansards and hip-to-gable alterations are particularly sensitive.

Loft Conversion approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1Crofton Park54
80.0%
See how this applies to your postcode →

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.

Check My Postcode

How loft conversions compare to other project types

Not all applications are treated equally. Here's how loft conversions stack up against other common projects in Lewisham.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build303
88.8%
Wraparound Extension449
84.6%
Extension (General)2,724
84.1%
Flat Conversion2,760
83.7%
Conservatory363
83.2%
Garage / Parking3,651
83.1%
Outbuilding837
82.8%
Basement1,243
82.5%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion892
82.0%
Dormer2,062
81.5%
Loft Conversion2,647
79.3%
Change of Use (Residential)2,046
78.5%
Side Extension1,181
76.0%
Rear Extension4,713
75.5%
Annex80
68.8%
HMO470
61.3%
Front Extension61
60.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
79.3% of loft conversion applications in Lewisham get approved. That means 549 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

549 loft conversion applications in Lewisham 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.

Check my postcode
Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Lewisham planning data

Nearby councils loft conversion data

Methodology: Based on 2,647 planning decisions classified as loft conversions in Lewisham, 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 Lewisham Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Lewisham — Free