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Rear Extension Approval Rates in Waltham Forest

Rear extensions are the bread and butter of UK planning — and one of the most common reasons homeowners face a refusal. Here's what 7,930 real decisions tell us about rear extension outcomes in Waltham Forest.

7,930 real decisions·January 2020 to present·Updated March 2026
75.3%
Approval Rate
7,930
Decisions
5,971
Approved
1,959
Refused
75.3% approved. But 1,959 refused since 2020. Each refusal cost the homeowner time and money on drawings and application fees. Understanding your local data before you apply is the difference between confidence and a costly gamble.

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Why rear extension approval rates matter

Rear extensions sit in the middle of the pack nationally. They're common enough that councils have clear precedent — but that cuts both ways. If your neighbours have been refused, that precedent works against you too.

Ward gap in Waltham Forest: William Morris approves 100.0% of rear extension applications while St James sits at 33.3%. That 66.7% gap means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.

Rear Extension approval rate by ward

#WardDecisionsApprovedRate
1William Morris66
100.0%
2Chapel End54
80.0%
3Upper Walthamstow53
60.0%
4St James62
33.3%
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These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A rear extension has a 100.0% approval rate in William Morris but just 33.3% in St James.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

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How rear extensions compare to other project types

Not all applications are treated equally. Here's how rear extensions stack up against other common projects in Waltham Forest.

TypeDecisionsRate
New Build403
95.0%
Extension (General)405
84.2%
Wraparound Extension592
82.4%
Flat Conversion1,820
81.4%
Outbuilding656
81.2%
Dormer4,549
80.3%
Conservatory104
79.8%
Hip-to-Gable Conversion650
79.1%
Loft Conversion4,503
78.2%
Rear Extension7,930
75.3%
Garage / Parking1,535
73.2%
Side Extension1,470
72.8%
Basement268
70.5%
Change of Use (Residential)957
68.0%
Front Extension162
60.5%
Annex28
46.4%
HMO432
28.5%
See how this applies to your postcode →

What the data tells us

1
75.3% of rear extension applications in Waltham Forest get approved. That means 1,959 homeowners since 2020 have been refused. Not terrible odds, but not a foregone conclusion.
2
Your ward matters more than you think. The 66.7% gap between William Morris (100.0%) and St James (33.3%) means your postcode is one of the strongest indicators of outcome.
3
Council averages are starting points, not guarantees. The decisions that matter most are the comparable ones near your specific property — because planning officers look at precedent, character and the immediate context of your street.

Before you spend £5,000+ on architects and drawings

1,959 rear extension applications in Waltham Forest 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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Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Waltham Forest planning data

Nearby councils rear extension data

Methodology: Based on 7,930 planning decisions classified as rear extensions in Waltham Forest, January 2020 to present. Classification uses keyword matching against proposal descriptions (matching generate_site_data.py rules). A single application may appear in multiple categories. Approval rate = approved / (approved + refused). Pending, withdrawn and invalid applications excluded. Data from Waltham Forest Council's public planning portal. Full methodology →
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