Data-backed planning intelligence · 2,500,000+ decisions analysed across England

Most Common Planning Applications in Westminster

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in Westminster is 19.3% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

60,698 real decisions·16 project types·Updated March 2026
96.6%
Safest: Flat Conversion
77.3%
Lowest: HMO
19.3%
Spread
16
Types ranked

Check Planning Approval Patterns in Westminster

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

Check My Postcode

All 16 project types ranked

#TypeDecisionsApprovedRefusedRate
1Flat Conversion59057020
96.6%
2Annex105996
94.3%
3Garage / Parking2,6852,513172
93.6%
4Basement9,4488,771677
92.8%
5New Build1,2971,20493
92.8%
6Change of Use (Residential)68362558
91.5%
7Extension (General)3,2742,978296
91.0%
8Conservatory58552956
90.4%
9Front Extension49445
89.8%
10Loft Conversion2,9362,602334
88.6%
11Side Extension46541253
88.6%
12Outbuilding58651868
88.4%
13Rear Extension3,0682,691377
87.7%
14Dormer1,160999161
86.1%
15Wraparound Extension28235
82.1%
16HMO1199227
77.3%
See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A flat conversion application has a 96.6% approval rate. HMO? Just 77.3%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

1
The range is massive: 77.3% to 96.6%. 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

5,563 planning applications in Westminster 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.

Check My Postcode First
Free instant check · Pro Report £79 · Based on 2,500,000+ real decisions

More Westminster planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 60,698 decisions in Westminster 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 Westminster Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →
Check planning approval patterns in Westminster — Free