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

Most Common Planning Applications in Swansea

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Swansea is 46.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

3,860 real decisions·14 project types·Updated August 2026
89.7%
Safest: Extension (General)
42.9%
Lowest: HMO
46.8%
Spread
14
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Swansea

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

Check My Postcode

All 14 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Extension (General)11610412
89.7%
2Outbuilding978413
86.6%
3Conservatory15413321
86.4%
4Rear Extension777649128
83.5%
5Garage / Parking47239379
83.3%
6Side Extension48440084
82.6%
7Annex22184
81.8%
8Wraparound Extension21174
81.0%
9Front Extension947222
76.6%
10Change of Use (Residential)17913544
75.4%
11Basement22166
72.7%
12Dormer16911455
67.5%
13Loft Conversion825230
63.4%
14HMO492128
42.9%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A extension (general) application has a 89.7% approval rate. HMO? Just 42.9%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 42.9% to 89.7%. 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

547 planning applications in Swansea 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 3,780,000+ real decisions

More Swansea planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 3,860 decisions in Swansea 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 Swansea Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to August 2026. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Swansea — Free