Data-backed planning intelligence · 2,500,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Sevenoaks

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 1,735 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Sevenoaks.

1,735 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
87.7%
Approval Rate
1,735
Decisions
1,522
Approved
213
Refused
87.7% approved. But 213 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.

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

Two houses on the same street can get different outcomes.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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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 Sevenoaks.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory412
90.0%
Wraparound Extension168
89.3%
Front Extension237
88.6%
Rear Extension1,735
87.7%
Side Extension958
87.2%
Extension (General)639
83.7%
Outbuilding851
82.5%
Basement90
82.2%
Dormer752
81.9%
Loft Conversion478
81.8%
Garage / Parking1,861
81.6%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion72
80.6%
Change of Use (Residential)343
74.1%
Annex152
73.7%
Flat Conversion41
73.2%
New Build458
71.8%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
87.7% of rear extension applications in Sevenoaks get approved. That means 213 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

213 rear extension applications in Sevenoaks have been refused since 2020. Many of those homeowners had already paid for drawings and application fees. A £79 report shows you what gets approved — and what gets refused — near your property.

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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Sevenoaks planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 1,735 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Sevenoaks, 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 Sevenoaks Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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