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

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Manchester

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 2,381 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Manchester.

2,381 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
91.6%
Approval Rate
2,381
Decisions
2,181
Approved
200
Refused
91.6% approved. But 200 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.

Rear Extension approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1Didsbury East Ward76
85.7%
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These are council averages. Your property is specific.

Two houses on the same street can get different outcomes.
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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 Manchester.

TypeDecisionsRate
Wraparound Extension521
94.8%
Conservatory138
93.5%
Side Extension1,510
92.1%
Rear Extension2,381
91.6%
Basement274
89.8%
Front Extension250
88.4%
Garage / Parking1,021
87.5%
Loft Conversion126
87.3%
Annex22
86.4%
Dormer730
86.3%
Extension (General)450
86.0%
Outbuilding285
85.3%
New Build456
84.4%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion170
81.8%
Change of Use (Residential)572
80.1%
Flat Conversion94
69.1%
HMO214
64.0%
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What the data tells us

1
91.6% of rear extension applications in Manchester get approved. That means 200 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

200 rear extension applications in Manchester 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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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Manchester planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 2,381 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Manchester, 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 Manchester Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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