11.5% of planning applications in the UK are refused, about 1 in 9. Across 295 councils and 3.4 million decided applications, 88.5% are approved and 395,218 were refused. Refusal rates range from under 1% in the most permissive councils to over 26% in the strictest. Search your postcode or explore the map below.
Refusals are usually caused by specific design choices, not the area overall. The most common triggers are:
• Depth, an extension 50cm beyond what the council tolerates
• Proximity, building too close to a neighbour's boundary
• Overlooking, windows that create a loss of privacy
• Design, a flat roof where the council expects pitched
Even in councils with 90%+ approval rates, certain types of extensions are refused far more often than others. You can see exactly which ones, and why, near your property.
See why similar applications near you get refused →The UK-wide refusal rate is 11.5% (about 1 in 9). Based on all decided planning applications in our database; councils with fewer than 100 decisions excluded.
| East Hertfordshire | 26.5% |
| Uttlesford | 26.2% |
| Maldon | 24.4% |
| Brent | 24.0% |
| Barking & Dagenham | 21.8% |
| Greenwich | 21.8% |
| Caerphilly | 21.6% |
| Redbridge | 21.5% |
| Bradford | 21.0% |
| Hillingdon | 21.0% |
| North Lanarkshire | 99.8% |
| Dacorum | 99.6% |
| Staffordshire | 99.4% |
| Falkirk | 99.2% |
| Fareham | 99.1% |
| Western Isles | 98.9% |
| Mansfield | 98.8% |
| City of London | 98.8% |
| Somerset | 98.7% |
| Mid Devon | 98.7% |
Even in councils with 85% approval rates, certain types of extensions are refused far more often.
The difference between approval and refusal is usually not obvious until you look at real decisions near your property.
A refused application costs £4,000+ in redesigns, delays, and re-submissions.
See why similar applications near you get refused →Across 295 UK councils, 11.5% of planning applications are refused, which is about 1 in 9. The remaining 88.5% are approved. This is based on 3,400,000+ decided applications, of which 395,218 were refused. Refusal rates vary widely by council, from under 1% in the most permissive authorities to over 26% in the strictest.
East Hertfordshire has the highest refusal rate of the councils we track, refusing 26.5% of applications (about 1 in 9). It is followed by Uttlesford (26.2%), Maldon (24.4%) and Brent (24.0%). These tend to be councils with strict design, conservation or green-belt policies.
North Lanarkshire approves 99.8% of applications, refusing well under 1%. Dacorum (99.6%), Staffordshire (99.4%) and Fareham (99.1%) also approve almost everything they decide.
The national planning approval rate is 88.5%, measured across 295 councils and 3.4 million decided applications. Approval rates range from about 73% in the strictest councils to over 99% in the most permissive.
Most refusals come from specific design choices rather than the area overall: an extension built too deep, too close to a neighbour's boundary, windows that overlook neighbouring properties, or a roof design that does not match the street. Even in councils with high overall approval rates, certain extension types are refused far more often than others.