Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,840,000+ decisions analysed across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
PlanningLens

Rear Extension Approval Rates in South Norfolk

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 988 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in South Norfolk.

988 real decisions·January 2020 to September 2026·Updated September 2026
98.1%
Approval Rate
988
Decisions
969
Approved
19
Refused
98.1% approved. But 19 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.

Check Planning Approval Patterns in South Norfolk

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

Check My Postcode

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.

Check My Postcode

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 South Norfolk.

TypeDecisionsRate
Conservatory180
100.0%
Side Extension544
98.3%
Rear Extension988
98.1%
Extension (General)706
97.9%
Dormer174
97.7%
Wraparound Extension81
97.5%
Front Extension188
96.8%
Loft Conversion125
96.0%
Outbuilding534
95.7%
Annex199
94.5%
Garage / Parking1,071
93.2%
Change of Use (Residential)376
87.5%
New Build247
84.6%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
98.1% of rear extension applications in South Norfolk get approved. That means 19 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

19 rear extension applications in South Norfolk 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 3,840,000+ real decisions

More South Norfolk planning data

Methodology: Based on 988 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in South Norfolk, January 2020 to September 2026. 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 South Norfolk Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in South Norfolk — Free