What type of planning application is most likely to be approved in Merton?

Conservatory at 92.9% based on 296 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Merton?

HMO at 55.3% based on 179 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Merton?

From 92.9% (Conservatory) to 55.3% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Merton

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Merton is 37.6% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

18,043 real decisions·17 project types·Updated June 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Merton

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Conservatory	296	275	21	92.9%
2	Basement	589	538	51	91.3%
3	Loft Conversion	3,891	3,498	393	89.9%
4	Garage / Parking	2,149	1,906	243	88.7%
5	Wraparound Extension	476	422	54	88.7%
6	Dormer	2,399	2,122	277	88.5%
7	New Build	1,242	1,091	151	87.8%
8	Extension (General)	917	798	119	87.0%
9	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	1,160	1,008	152	86.9%
10	Side Extension	1,950	1,658	292	85.0%
11	Change of Use (Residential)	1,160	971	189	83.7%
12	Outbuilding	1,032	858	174	83.1%
13	Flat Conversion	876	728	148	83.1%
14	Rear Extension	5,743	4,692	1,051	81.7%
15	Annex	104	83	21	79.8%
16	Front Extension	232	183	49	78.9%
17	HMO	179	99	80	55.3%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 92.9% approval rate. HMO? Just 55.3%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 55.3% to 92.9%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.

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.

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

2,497 planning applications in Merton 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 Merton planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 18,043 decisions in Merton 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 Merton Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →