What type of planning application is most likely to be approved in Waltham Forest?

Wraparound Extension at 81.4% based on 681 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in Waltham Forest?

HMO at 23.2% based on 431 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in Waltham Forest?

From 81.4% (Wraparound Extension) to 23.2% (HMO). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

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 58.2% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

21,395 real decisions·17 project types·Updated August 2026

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

#	Type	Decisions	Approved	Refused	Rate
1	Wraparound Extension	681	554	127	81.4%
2	Outbuilding	651	523	128	80.3%
3	Dormer	4,802	3,827	975	79.7%
4	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	760	604	156	79.5%
5	Loft Conversion	4,797	3,744	1,053	78.0%
6	Extension (General)	322	247	75	76.7%
7	Conservatory	124	95	29	76.6%
8	Rear Extension	9,018	6,785	2,233	75.2%
9	Side Extension	1,397	998	399	71.4%
10	New Build	129	89	40	69.0%
11	Garage / Parking	1,041	687	354	66.0%
12	Front Extension	179	113	66	63.1%
13	Basement	187	113	74	60.4%
14	Change of Use (Residential)	774	429	345	55.4%
15	Flat Conversion	603	307	296	50.9%
16	Annex	32	11	21	34.4%
17	HMO	431	100	331	23.2%

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 23.2%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 23.2% to 81.4%. Choosing the right project type — or framing your application correctly — can dramatically affect outcomes.

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.

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

5,091 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 3,770,000+ real decisions

More Waltham Forest planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 21,395 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 →