What type of planning application is most likely to be approved in Slough?

Loft Conversion at 87.5% based on 1,158 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Slough?

HMO at 47.4% based on 57 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Slough?

From 87.5% (Loft Conversion) to 47.4% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Slough

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Slough is 40.1% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

17,748 real decisions·16 project types·Updated June 2026

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All 16 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Loft Conversion	1,158	1,013	145	87.5%
2	Conservatory	177	152	25	85.9%
3	Wraparound Extension	920	788	132	85.7%
4	Dormer	869	745	124	85.7%
5	Garage / Parking	1,264	1,062	202	84.0%
6	Rear Extension	7,156	5,986	1,170	83.7%
7	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	358	298	60	83.2%
8	Side Extension	2,806	2,316	490	82.5%
9	Outbuilding	1,251	1,030	221	82.3%
10	Extension (General)	328	267	61	81.4%
11	Annex	28	22	6	78.6%
12	Change of Use (Residential)	768	602	166	78.4%
13	Flat Conversion	23	18	5	78.3%
14	Front Extension	660	491	169	74.4%
15	New Build	245	175	70	71.4%
16	HMO	57	27	30	47.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A loft conversion application has a 87.5% approval rate. HMO? Just 47.4%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

The range is massive: 47.4% to 87.5%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.

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.

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

3,027 planning applications in Slough 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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More Slough planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 17,748 decisions in Slough 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 Slough Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →