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Most Common Planning Applications in Tower Hamlets

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Tower Hamlets is 40.4% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

26,296 real decisions·16 project types·Updated March 2026
91.3%
Safest: Garage / Parking
50.9%
Lowest: HMO
40.4%
Spread
16
Types ranked

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All 16 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Garage / Parking1,6591,514145
91.3%
2New Build83175378
90.6%
3Conservatory12210814
88.5%
4Basement1,7391,519220
87.3%
5Extension (General)1,161979182
84.3%
6Flat Conversion39232864
83.7%
7Side Extension40633769
83.0%
8Outbuilding38031466
82.6%
9Wraparound Extension665412
81.8%
10Rear Extension1,8271,470357
80.5%
11Change of Use (Residential)2,1891,746443
79.8%
12Dormer504393111
78.0%
13Annex25196
76.0%
14Front Extension735518
75.3%
15Loft Conversion1,264946318
74.8%
16HMO226115111
50.9%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A garage / parking application has a 91.3% approval rate. HMO? Just 50.9%.
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: 50.9% to 91.3%. 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

2,890 planning applications in Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 26,296 decisions in Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
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