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

Most Common Planning Applications in Sunderland

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Sunderland is 41.3% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

10,482 real decisions·16 project types·Updated March 2026
97.5%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
56.2%
Lowest: HMO
41.3%
Spread
16
Types ranked

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All 16 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension80782
97.5%
2Conservatory1451414
97.2%
3Rear Extension1,01997445
95.6%
4Extension (General)1,3991,32376
94.6%
5Side Extension74770740
94.6%
6Garage / Parking1,05497282
92.2%
7Front Extension14012713
90.7%
8Basement31283
90.3%
9New Build70163368
90.3%
10Flat Conversion20182
90.0%
11Outbuilding16114417
89.4%
12Loft Conversion53467
86.8%
13Annex23194
82.6%
14Change of Use (Residential)688558130
81.1%
15Dormer25520352
79.6%
16HMO482721
56.2%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 97.5% approval rate. HMO? Just 56.2%.
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: 56.2% to 97.5%. 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

1,199 planning applications in Sunderland 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 Sunderland planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 10,482 decisions in Sunderland 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 Sunderland Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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