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

Conservatory at 95.9% based on 320 decisions.

What is hardest to get planning permission for in York?

Flat Conversion at 60.9% based on 23 decisions.

How do approval rates vary by project type in York?

From 95.9% (Conservatory) to 60.9% (Flat Conversion). What you build matters as much as where you build it.

Most Common Planning Applications in York

Not all planning applications are created equal. The gap between the highest and lowest approval project type in York is 35.0% — that's the difference between near-certainty and a coin flip. What you build matters as much as where you build it.

11,446 real decisions·17 project types·Updated June 2026

Check Planning Approval Patterns in York

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	Conservatory	320	307	13	95.9%
2	Wraparound Extension	536	509	27	95.0%
3	Rear Extension	2,520	2,368	152	94.0%
4	Side Extension	1,662	1,550	112	93.3%
5	Hip-to-Gable Conversion	165	153	12	92.7%
6	Front Extension	364	336	28	92.3%
7	Garage / Parking	1,251	1,133	118	90.6%
8	Loft Conversion	234	211	23	90.2%
9	Dormer	837	742	95	88.6%
10	Extension (General)	628	556	72	88.5%
11	Outbuilding	365	320	45	87.7%
12	Basement	85	74	11	87.1%
13	Annex	107	93	14	86.9%
14	HMO	337	279	58	82.8%
15	Change of Use (Residential)	546	424	122	77.7%
16	New Build	450	340	110	75.6%
17	Flat Conversion	23	14	9	60.9%

See how this applies to your postcode →

These are council averages. Your property is specific.

A conservatory application has a 95.9% approval rate. Flat Conversion? Just 60.9%.
Check your postcode to see what actually happens near your address.

Check My Postcode

What the data tells us

The range is massive: 60.9% to 95.9%. 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

1,124 planning applications in York 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 3,290,000+ real decisions

More York planning data

Nearby councils project type rankings

Methodology: Classifies 11,446 decisions in York 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 York Council's public planning portal, January 2020 to present. Full methodology →