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

Most Common Planning Applications in Swindon

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Swindon is 13.1% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

3,908 real decisions·11 project types·Updated March 2026
96.2%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
83.1%
Lowest: Change of Use (Residential)
13.1%
Spread
11
Types ranked

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All 11 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension52502
96.2%
2Conservatory2212129
95.9%
3Outbuilding60564
93.3%
4Rear Extension1,0751,00075
93.0%
5Extension (General)96897
92.7%
6Side Extension43640333
92.4%
7Garage / Parking34731730
91.4%
8Front Extension1059312
88.6%
9New Build21719225
88.5%
10Dormer14312518
87.4%
11Change of Use (Residential)836914
83.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 96.2% approval rate. Change of Use (Residential)? Just 83.1%.
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: 83.1% to 96.2%. 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

223 planning applications in Swindon 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 Swindon planning data

Methodology: Classifies 3,908 decisions in Swindon 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 Swindon Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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