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

Most Common Planning Applications in Sandwell

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Sandwell is 12.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

7,027 real decisions·15 project types·Updated August 2026
100.0%
Safest: HMO
87.2%
Lowest: Dormer
12.8%
Spread
15
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Sandwell

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

Check My Postcode

All 15 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1HMO38380
100.0%
2Hip-to-Gable Conversion30291
96.7%
3Flat Conversion28271
96.4%
4Wraparound Extension1921848
95.8%
5Conservatory31329914
95.5%
6Side Extension1,0681,00959
94.5%
7Front Extension23221913
94.4%
8Rear Extension3,1432,935208
93.4%
9Loft Conversion16815612
92.9%
10Outbuilding1091018
92.7%
11Garage / Parking44540936
91.9%
12Extension (General)25923623
91.1%
13Change of Use (Residential)38034535
90.8%
14New Build53476
88.7%
15Dormer21819028
87.2%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A hmo application has a 100.0% approval rate. Dormer? Just 87.2%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 87.2% to 100.0%. 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

466 planning applications in Sandwell 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 Sandwell planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 7,027 decisions in Sandwell 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 Sandwell Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to August 2026. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Sandwell — Free