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Most Common Planning Applications in Luton

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Luton is 62.6% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

3,133 real decisions·16 project types·Updated September 2026
92.6%
Safest: Conservatory
30.0%
Lowest: Flat Conversion
62.6%
Spread
16
Types ranked

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All 16 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Conservatory54504
92.6%
2Rear Extension2,3552,122233
90.1%
3Garage / Parking74366974
90.0%
4Extension (General)1008812
88.0%
5Front Extension20717334
83.6%
6Hip-to-Gable Conversion574710
82.5%
7Wraparound Extension15012327
82.0%
8New Build41633878
81.2%
9Outbuilding15012129
80.7%
10Loft Conversion19415539
79.9%
11Side Extension521415106
79.7%
12Dormer28122259
79.0%
13Annex382810
73.7%
14Change of Use (Residential)373258115
69.2%
15HMO805129
63.7%
16Flat Conversion20614
30.0%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 92.6% approval rate. Flat Conversion? Just 30.0%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 30.0% to 92.6%. 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

635 planning applications in Luton 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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More Luton planning data

Methodology: Classifies 3,133 decisions in Luton 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 Luton Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to September 2026. Full methodology →
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