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

Basement at 97.6% based on 83 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Oxford?

Annex at 62.9% based on 35 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Oxford?

From 97.6% (Basement) to 62.9% (Annex). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Oxford

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Oxford is 34.7% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

5,623 real decisions·17 project types·Updated June 2026

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All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Basement	83	81	2	97.6%
2	Conservatory	161	147	14	91.3%
3	Dormer	454	414	40	91.2%
4	Loft Conversion	344	312	32	90.7%
5	Extension (General)	119	107	12	89.9%
6	Front Extension	85	76	9	89.4%
7	Rear Extension	1,303	1,159	144	88.9%
8	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	123	108	15	87.8%
9	Outbuilding	282	247	35	87.6%
10	Garage / Parking	668	568	100	85.0%
11	Side Extension	431	364	67	84.5%
12	Wraparound Extension	136	114	22	83.8%
13	Change of Use (Residential)	325	270	55	83.1%
14	New Build	232	192	40	82.8%
15	Flat Conversion	53	43	10	81.1%
16	HMO	270	209	61	77.4%
17	Annex	35	22	13	62.9%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A basement application has a 97.6% approval rate. Annex? Just 62.9%.
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What the data tells us

The range is massive: 62.9% to 97.6%. 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

485 planning applications in Oxford 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 Oxford planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 5,623 decisions in Oxford 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 Oxford Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →