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

Most Common Planning Applications in Waltham Forest

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Waltham Forest is 58.3% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

21,464 real decisions·17 project types·Updated August 2026
81.4%
Safest: Wraparound Extension
23.1%
Lowest: HMO
58.3%
Spread
17
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Waltham Forest

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

Check My Postcode

All 17 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Wraparound Extension683556127
81.4%
2Outbuilding656527129
80.3%
3Dormer4,8163,839977
79.7%
4Hip-to-Gable Conversion761605156
79.5%
5Loft Conversion4,8133,7571,056
78.1%
6Conservatory1269729
77.0%
7Extension (General)32324875
76.8%
8Rear Extension9,0456,8062,239
75.2%
9Side Extension1,3991,000399
71.5%
10New Build1298940
69.0%
11Garage / Parking1,044689355
66.0%
12Front Extension17911366
63.1%
13Basement18711374
60.4%
14Change of Use (Residential)778431347
55.4%
15Flat Conversion605308297
50.9%
16Annex321121
34.4%
17HMO432100332
23.1%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A wraparound extension application has a 81.4% approval rate. HMO? Just 23.1%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 23.1% to 81.4%. 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

5,108 planning applications in Waltham Forest 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 Waltham Forest planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 21,464 decisions in Waltham Forest 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 Waltham Forest Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to August 2026. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Waltham Forest — Free