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

Most Common Planning Applications in Southwark

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Southwark is 11.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

28,675 real decisions·17 project types·Updated March 2026
95.9%
Safest: Garage / Parking
84.1%
Lowest: HMO
11.8%
Spread
17
Types ranked

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All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Garage / Parking5,2515,036215
95.9%
2New Build1,4531,38865
95.5%
3Hip-to-Gable Conversion1711629
94.7%
4Side Extension1,7311,630101
94.2%
5Extension (General)2,8342,665169
94.0%
6Basement3,4593,253206
94.0%
7Annex1141077
93.9%
8Wraparound Extension39837325
93.7%
9Dormer2,6692,484185
93.1%
10Outbuilding1,0981,02078
92.9%
11Front Extension1101028
92.7%
12Conservatory24422519
92.2%
13Rear Extension3,7573,462295
92.1%
14Flat Conversion82475173
91.1%
15Change of Use (Residential)2,1401,915225
89.5%
16Loft Conversion2,0671,828239
88.4%
17HMO15713225
84.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A garage / parking application has a 95.9% approval rate. HMO? Just 84.1%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 84.1% to 95.9%. 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

1,915 planning applications in Southwark 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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More Southwark planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 28,675 decisions in Southwark 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 Southwark Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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