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

Most Common Planning Applications in Plymouth

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Plymouth is 18.7% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

7,239 real decisions·17 project types·Updated August 2026
97.8%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
79.1%
Lowest: New Build
18.7%
Spread
17
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Plymouth

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension89872
97.8%
2Loft Conversion1941895
97.4%
3Flat Conversion37361
97.3%
4Rear Extension1,2841,24836
97.2%
5Hip-to-Gable Conversion1211174
96.7%
6Side Extension63661422
96.5%
7Basement81783
96.3%
8Dormer39137417
95.7%
9Extension (General)29728116
94.6%
10Outbuilding21119813
93.8%
11Conservatory17216111
93.6%
12Front Extension16415311
93.3%
13HMO31729324
92.4%
14Annex86797
91.9%
15Garage / Parking85376192
89.2%
16Change of Use (Residential)47741760
87.4%
17New Build1108723
79.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 97.8% approval rate. New Build? Just 79.1%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 79.1% to 97.8%. 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

502 planning applications in Plymouth 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 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Plymouth planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 7,239 decisions in Plymouth 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 Plymouth Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to August 2026. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Plymouth — Free