Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,780,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Mid Sussex

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 1,316 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Mid Sussex.

1,316 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
95.4%
Approval Rate
1,316
Decisions
1,255
Approved
61
Refused
95.4% approved. But 61 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.

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.

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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 Mid Sussex.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory356
97.2%
Front Extension240
95.8%
Rear Extension1,316
95.4%
Side Extension764
95.0%
Wraparound Extension102
93.1%
Basement29
93.1%
Loft Conversion369
93.0%
Outbuilding454
92.7%
Garage / Parking1,461
92.1%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion76
92.1%
Extension (General)551
92.0%
Dormer502
91.6%
Change of Use (Residential)253
88.9%
Annex74
86.5%
New Build173
76.3%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
95.4% of rear extension applications in Mid Sussex get approved. That means 61 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

61 rear extension applications in Mid Sussex 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Mid Sussex planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 1,316 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Mid Sussex, January 2020 to August 2026. 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 Mid Sussex Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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