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

Most Common Planning Applications in Sefton

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Sefton is 66.7% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

7,121 real decisions·17 project types·Updated August 2026
100.0%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
33.3%
Lowest: HMO
66.7%
Spread
17
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Sefton

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension41410
100.0%
2Hip-to-Gable Conversion46460
100.0%
3Conservatory3873789
97.7%
4Side Extension2182108
96.3%
5Annex41392
95.1%
6Loft Conversion76724
94.7%
7Front Extension36342
94.4%
8Extension (General)1,8731,751122
93.5%
9Dormer48545035
92.8%
10Garage / Parking92784582
91.2%
11Outbuilding29626828
90.5%
12Rear Extension53348251
90.4%
13New Build33228349
85.2%
14Basement41347
82.9%
15Flat Conversion846123
72.6%
16Change of Use (Residential)515370145
71.8%
17HMO602040
33.3%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 100.0% approval rate. HMO? Just 33.3%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 33.3% 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

853 planning applications in Sefton 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 Sefton planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 7,121 decisions in Sefton 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 Sefton Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to August 2026. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Sefton — Free