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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 45.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

6,219 real decisions·16 project types·Updated September 2026
97.7%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
51.9%
Lowest: HMO
45.8%
Spread
16
Types ranked

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All 16 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension88862
97.7%
2Conservatory1541504
97.4%
3Rear Extension1,0751,02649
95.4%
4Extension (General)1,4601,38278
94.7%
5Side Extension79275042
94.7%
6Garage / Parking1,1191,03287
92.2%
7Basement33303
90.9%
8Front Extension14813414
90.5%
9New Build74567372
90.3%
10Outbuilding17715819
89.3%
11Flat Conversion22193
86.4%
12Loft Conversion56488
85.7%
13Annex24204
83.3%
14Change of Use (Residential)734592142
80.7%
15Dormer26821454
79.9%
16HMO522725
51.9%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 97.7% approval rate. HMO? Just 51.9%.
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: 51.9% to 97.7%. 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

536 planning applications in Sunderland 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 Sunderland planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 6,219 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 September 2026. Full methodology →
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