Data-backed planning intelligence · 3,780,000+ decisions analysed across England

Rear Extension Approval Rates in Surrey Heath

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 1,409 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Surrey Heath.

1,409 real decisions·January 2020 to August 2026·Updated August 2026
88.9%
Approval Rate
1,409
Decisions
1,253
Approved
156
Refused
88.9% approved. But 156 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.

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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.

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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 Surrey Heath.

TypeDecisionsRate
HMO29
100.0%
Basement28
96.4%
Conservatory393
90.3%
Wraparound Extension202
89.6%
Rear Extension1,409
88.9%
Side Extension1,074
88.4%
Garage / Parking1,078
88.1%
Front Extension445
87.6%
Outbuilding209
87.1%
Extension (General)194
87.1%
Annex37
86.5%
Change of Use (Residential)179
85.5%
New Build364
83.0%
Dormer256
80.5%
Loft Conversion56
80.4%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
88.9% of rear extension applications in Surrey Heath get approved. That means 156 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

156 rear extension applications in Surrey Heath 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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Free · Property report emailed in minutes · Based on 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Surrey Heath planning data

Methodology: Based on 1,409 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Surrey Heath, January 2020 to August 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 Surrey Heath Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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