Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,290,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Richmond

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 6,985 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Richmond.

6,985 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated June 2026
82.5%
Approval Rate
6,985
Decisions
5,761
Approved
1,224
Refused
82.5% approved. But 1,224 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
1Unknown5454
100.0%
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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 Richmond.

TypeDecisionsRate
HMO175
92.6%
Change of Use (Residential)1,362
91.3%
Conservatory683
89.6%
Flat Conversion329
88.4%
Outbuilding1,837
87.6%
Extension (General)1,487
85.0%
Garage / Parking3,148
83.7%
New Build777
83.7%
Basement902
83.6%
Rear Extension6,985
82.5%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion1,190
82.4%
Wraparound Extension589
82.2%
Side Extension3,156
82.1%
Dormer4,505
81.5%
Loft Conversion3,714
81.5%
Annex108
79.6%
Front Extension315
77.1%
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What the data tells us

1
82.5% of rear extension applications in Richmond get approved. That means 1,224 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

1,224 rear extension applications in Richmond 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 3,290,000+ real decisions

More Richmond planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 6,985 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Richmond, 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 Richmond Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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