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Most Common Planning Applications in Torbay

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Torbay is 49.8% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

3,364 real decisions·17 project types·Updated September 2026
88.5%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
38.7%
Lowest: HMO
49.8%
Spread
17
Types ranked

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All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension26233
88.5%
2Conservatory20217626
87.1%
3Rear Extension35929960
83.3%
4Annex594910
83.1%
5Front Extension39327
82.1%
6Outbuilding24519748
80.4%
7Extension (General)855687168
80.4%
8Garage / Parking1,038811227
78.1%
9Change of Use (Residential)32425272
77.8%
10Side Extension30823771
76.9%
11Loft Conversion23217458
75.0%
12Dormer398285113
71.6%
13Hip-to-Gable Conversion674819
71.6%
14Basement785523
70.5%
15New Build845529
65.5%
16Flat Conversion201010
50.0%
17HMO311219
38.7%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 88.5% approval rate. HMO? Just 38.7%.
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What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 38.7% to 88.5%. 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

696 planning applications in Torbay 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 Torbay planning data

Methodology: Classifies 3,364 decisions in Torbay 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 Torbay Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to September 2026. Full methodology →
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