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

Loft Conversion at 87.5% based on 1,166 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Slough?

HMO at 45.8% based on 59 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Slough?

From 87.5% (Loft Conversion) to 45.8% (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 41.7% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

17,879 real decisions·16 project types·Updated August 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Slough

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

Check My Postcode

All 16 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Loft Conversion	1,166	1,020	146	87.5%
2	Conservatory	178	153	25	86.0%
3	Dormer	871	746	125	85.6%
4	Wraparound Extension	928	792	136	85.3%
5	Garage / Parking	1,274	1,071	203	84.1%
6	Rear Extension	7,207	6,029	1,178	83.7%
7	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	360	300	60	83.3%
8	Outbuilding	1,263	1,041	222	82.4%
9	Side Extension	2,822	2,325	497	82.4%
10	Extension (General)	328	267	61	81.4%
11	Flat Conversion	24	19	5	79.2%
12	Annex	28	22	6	78.6%
13	Change of Use (Residential)	777	608	169	78.2%
14	Front Extension	667	496	171	74.4%
15	New Build	246	176	70	71.5%
16	HMO	59	27	32	45.8%

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 45.8%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 45.8% 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

3,062 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.

Check my postcode

Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Slough planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 17,879 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 August 2026. Full methodology →