What type of planning application is most likely to be approved in Sutton?

Flat Conversion at 91.4% based on 921 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Sutton?

Annex at 72.4% based on 156 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Sutton?

From 91.4% (Flat Conversion) to 72.4% (Annex). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in Sutton

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Sutton is 19.0% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

17,007 real decisions·17 project types·Updated September 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Sutton

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Flat Conversion	921	842	79	91.4%
2	Extension (General)	2,250	2,001	249	88.9%
3	Basement	240	203	37	84.6%
4	Conservatory	420	355	65	84.5%
5	Dormer	3,206	2,662	544	83.0%
6	Garage / Parking	4,195	3,475	720	82.8%
7	Outbuilding	870	713	157	82.0%
8	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	434	356	78	82.0%
9	Change of Use (Residential)	997	811	186	81.3%
10	Rear Extension	7,339	5,878	1,461	80.1%
11	Wraparound Extension	1,110	884	226	79.6%
12	Side Extension	3,086	2,446	640	79.3%
13	Loft Conversion	153	121	32	79.1%
14	New Build	1,072	838	234	78.2%
15	Front Extension	963	750	213	77.9%
16	HMO	198	144	54	72.7%
17	Annex	156	113	43	72.4%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A flat conversion application has a 91.4% approval rate. Annex? Just 72.4%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 72.4% to 91.4%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.

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.

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

2,842 planning applications in Sutton 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 Sutton planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 17,007 decisions in Sutton 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 Sutton Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to September 2026. Full methodology →