What Past Planning Decisions Reveal About Your Chances of Approval

When you're planning a home extension or renovation, looking at what happened with past planning applications in your area can give you valuable clues about your own chances of success. Your local council's planning history shows patterns in what gets approved and what gets rejected. This information helps you understand whether your project aligns with what planners typically accept.

Past planning decisions reveal approval trends, common rejection reasons, and specific requirements that can help you shape a stronger application and avoid costly mistakes. By studying decisions on similar projects in your neighbourhood, you can spot potential problems before you submit your plans. You'll also see which design choices work well and which ones cause issues with planners or neighbours.

Understanding planning history doesn't guarantee approval, but it does give you a clearer picture of what to expect. Each application gets reviewed individually based on its specific details and current planning policies. However, knowing what worked for others in your area puts you in a better position to create plans that meet local standards and address common concerns.

Key Takeaways

• Past planning decisions show approval patterns and help you understand what your local council typically accepts or rejects

• Reviewing neighbouring properties' planning history reveals design requirements, common objections, and conditions you might face

• Using planning history strategically improves your application quality but doesn't guarantee approval since each case is judged individually

Why Past Planning Decisions Matter

Local planning authorities follow established patterns when reviewing applications, and examining previous decisions helps you understand what they're likely to approve or refuse. Past rulings create a framework that shapes how planning officers evaluate new proposals.

Consistency in Decision Making

Local planning authorities must treat similar applications in similar ways. This means they can't approve one extension design and then refuse an identical proposal next door without clear reasons. Planning officers reference previous decisions to maintain fairness across all applications.

Key factors that ensure consistency:

• Policy application: Officers apply the same planning policies to comparable projects

• Material considerations: Similar concerns about height, mass, and impact receive similar treatment

• Decision documentation: Each approval or refusal creates a record that guides future choices

When you review planning history, you'll find patterns in how your council handles specific issues. If they consistently approve two-storey rear extensions in your area, your similar proposal stands a better chance. If they regularly refuse applications that overlook neighbouring gardens, you'll need to address privacy concerns upfront.

Understanding Precedent

Planning precedent isn't legally binding like court precedent, but it carries significant weight. Your local planning authority will consider how they've ruled on comparable cases before making a decision on your planning application.

A planning consultant examines precedent by looking at applications with similar characteristics. They search for properties on the same street, buildings with matching designs, or extensions of comparable size. The decision notices explain why applications succeeded or failed.

What precedent reveals:

• Acceptable heights and volumes for your property type

• Materials that complement the local area

• Design features that align with neighbourhood character

• Access and parking standards for your location

Previous approvals don't guarantee your success, but they demonstrate what your council considers appropriate. Refusals are equally valuable because they show red lines you shouldn't cross.

Influence on Your Own Application

Planning history directly shapes your application strategy. When you submit proposals that align with approved precedents, you build a stronger case for approval.

Your planning application becomes more persuasive when you reference similar approved schemes. Include decision reference numbers in your design and access statement. Explain how your proposal mirrors successful applications whilst addressing concerns raised in refusals.

Planning officers appreciate applications that demonstrate awareness of local decisions. This shows you've researched thoroughly and designed thoughtfully. You can point out that neighbouring properties received approval for comparable work, making refusal harder to justify.

Planning consultants use this approach routinely. They cite precedent in supporting documents and pre-application discussions. This method works because it speaks the language planning authorities understand and proves your proposal fits established patterns.

Accessing and Interpreting Planning History

You can access a wealth of information about past planning decisions through your local council's online planning register. These documents show what applications succeeded or failed and explain why planners made those decisions.

How to Search Past Applications

Most councils now publish their planning registers online. You can search by address or use an interactive map to locate specific properties. This eliminates the old requirement to visit the town hall in person.

Enter the full address of your site or neighbouring properties to pull up relevant applications. The search results will display application reference numbers, submission dates, and decision outcomes. You can typically filter by status to see approved, refused, or withdrawn applications.

Each application entry provides downloadable documents. These include submitted plans, supporting statements, neighbour comments, and the final decision. Review applications from the past 10 years for the most relevant planning policy context, though some councils maintain records going back 50 years.

Key Documents: Decision Notices and Officer's Reports

The decision notice states whether an application was approved or refused. For refusals, it lists the specific reasons for rejection. For approvals, it outlines any conditions attached to the permission.

The officer's report explains how the case officer reached their decision. This document weighs up the main planning issues at stake and applies local planning policy to the specific proposal. It represents the most valuable resource in understanding what works and what doesn't for a particular site.

Focus on the section where the officer assesses the key issues. Skip the standardised text about legislation and concentrate on how they evaluated design, access, neighbour impact, or policy compliance. This analysis reveals what matters most to your local planning authority.

Identifying Relevant Case Studies

Look for applications that mirror your own circumstances. Similar proposals on neighbouring sites offer the best comparison, but only if the sites share key characteristics.

Check whether the issues raised apply equally to your situation. A refusal based on impact to a protected tree doesn't matter if your site has no trees nearby. A green belt refusal suggests similar constraints if your site sits in the same designation.

Pay attention to applications from the past three to five years. Recent decisions reflect current planning policy and local plan requirements. Older approvals may no longer represent what planners will accept today.

Note any patterns across multiple applications. Several refusals for two-storey extensions might indicate that single-storey options stand better chances. Consistent approvals for certain design styles suggest what your council prefers.

Critical Factors Revealed by Past Decisions

Past planning decisions expose specific constraints that planning authorities consistently enforce. These patterns show which applications succeed and which fail based on policy compliance, heritage considerations, and environmental limitations.

Local Plan Requirements

The local plan sets the rules for what can be built in your area. When you review past decisions, you'll see exactly how planning officers interpret policies on housing density, building height limits, and acceptable materials.

Applications that align with local plan designations succeed far more often than those that don't. A site designated for low-density residential development will face rejection if you propose flats or terraced housing. Past refusals reveal the specific policy numbers that planning officers cite most frequently.

You can identify material requirements through approved applications. Some councils require brick and tile in conservation areas whilst others permit render or cladding. Historical decisions show the acceptable distance between properties, typical plot coverage percentages, and maximum building heights for your street.

Check whether previous applications referenced neighbourhood plans or supplementary planning documents. These additional policies often contain detailed design codes that standard local plans don't cover.

Listed Building and Heritage Issues

Properties near listed buildings face stricter requirements that planning history makes clear. Past decisions show whether a heritage statement was required and what concerns the conservation officer raised about visual impact.

Decision notices reveal the specific heritage assets that affect your site. You might discover a Grade II listed building three doors down that influenced the approval conditions for materials and roof pitch. Applications within conservation areas consistently show requirements for traditional window styles, roof materials, and wall finishes.

The design and access statements from approved schemes explain how applicants addressed heritage concerns. These documents demonstrate successful approaches to respecting historic character whilst achieving modern standards. Refusals often cite harm to the setting of heritage assets, showing you exactly what planning won't accept.

Impact of Flood Risk and Green Belt Constraints

Flood risk assessments in past applications show whether your site sits in Flood Zone 2 or 3. Properties in these zones require drainage strategies and sometimes raised floor levels that increase construction costs significantly.

Green belt land faces the most restrictive planning policies. Historical decisions reveal that new buildings are rarely permitted unless they replace existing structures or qualify as agricultural buildings. Past approvals demonstrate the acceptable size for replacement dwellings, typically limited to the original building's volume plus a modest increase.

Planning history shows whether previous applicants needed to prove very special circumstances for green belt development. These applications require substantial evidence that benefits outweigh harm to openness. Sites with contamination from previous industrial use include detailed soil reports that inform foundation design and remediation costs.

Neighbouring Properties and Community Context

Looking at planning decisions for nearby properties gives you concrete evidence of what your local planning authority considers acceptable. Applications within your street or immediate area reveal patterns in approval rates and common objection points that directly affect your own project's likelihood of success.

Trends in Neighbouring Consents

Applications approved in your area provide a template for what works. If three properties on your road received permission for single-storey rear extensions using similar materials and designs, this establishes a clear precedent. Your council aims for consistency in decision-making, so successful applications nearby strengthen your case.

Pay attention to specific details in approved plans. Note the materials used, the size of extensions relative to the original property, and any design features that appear repeatedly. If neighbouring Victorian terraces have been granted permission for glass box extensions, this suggests your council accepts contemporary additions to period properties.

Recent approvals carry more weight than older ones. Focus on decisions made within the past three years, as planning policies and local development plans change over time. Applications decided under previous policy frameworks may not reflect current requirements or preferences.

Effect of Objections

Neighbour objections appear frequently in planning history records and reveal sensitive issues in your area. Common concerns include loss of light, overlooking, impact on privacy, and parking problems. You can see which objections the planning authority took seriously and which ones they dismissed.

If an application was approved despite objections about overshadowing, the officer's report will explain why. Perhaps the extension was sufficiently distant from boundaries, or the impact was deemed minimal. This information helps you anticipate objections to your own plans and address them before submission.

Multiple objections from several neighbours carry more weight than a single complaint. However, planning decisions are based on material planning considerations, not popularity contests. Valid concerns about privacy or character typically matter more than general opposition to change.

Comparison to Previous Refusals

Refused applications show you exactly what to avoid. If a two-storey side extension was rejected for being out of character with the street, you can adjust your plans to sidestep the same criticism. The reasons for refusal section lists specific problems that led to rejection.

Look for patterns in refusals across multiple properties. If several applications for loft conversions with front dormers were refused, this indicates a strong policy against altering roof profiles visible from the street. You might succeed with rear dormers or rooflights instead.

Study how applicants modified refused schemes and resubmitted successfully. A reduced height, different materials, or repositioned windows often transform a rejected proposal into an approved one.

Strategies to Improve Your Approval Odds

Improving your chances when you apply for planning permission requires strategic preparation and expert guidance. Understanding what went wrong in past refusals helps you avoid common pitfalls and build a stronger application.

Pre-Application Advice and Engagement

Most local planning authorities offer a pre-application advice service where you can speak with a planning officer before submitting your formal application. This service lets you discuss your proposed project and identify potential issues early.

Whilst using pre-application advice doesn't guarantee approval, it helps you understand concerns that might block your application later. Planning officers can explain which aspects of your design might conflict with local policy or affect neighbours.

You should check your local authority's guidelines to understand what typically gets approved or rejected in your area. Different councils have different priorities and interpretation of planning policy.

Key benefits of pre-application advice:

• Early identification of design problems

• Understanding of local planning priorities

• Opportunity to address concerns before formal submission

• Reduced risk of costly refusals

Discussing your plans with neighbours before submission also matters. Many applications fail because they negatively affect neighbouring properties through overlooking, loss of sunlight, or privacy issues.

Using a Planning Consultant

Hiring a planning consultant makes sense for ambitious projects or when local planning policy feels confusing. These professionals understand national planning policy and can guide you through the application process.

Choose a consultant familiar with your local planning authority's specific requirements and preferences. Local expertise matters because planning policy varies significantly between areas. Consultants with existing relationships at your council may navigate the process more effectively.

Expect to pay around £200 per hour for planning consultant services. For complex projects, this investment often prevents costly mistakes and delays.

Planning consultants can prepare detailed submissions that address policy requirements using appropriate technical language. They know which supporting documents strengthen your case and how to present your proposal in terms that align with planning objectives.

Learning from Reasons for Past Refusals

Studying why similar applications in your area were refused helps you avoid repeating mistakes. You can access planning application records and decision notices through your local authority's planning portal.

Look for patterns in refusal reasons. Common grounds include design that doesn't match surrounding buildings, excessive size or height, and impact on neighbour amenity.

Pay attention to specific conditions and modifications that led to approval after initial refusal. These examples show what compromises your council accepts. If multiple applications for rear extensions were refused for overlooking but approved after window repositioning, you can design accordingly from the start.

Understanding your council's interpretation of policies around materials, sustainability, and emergency access helps you demonstrate compliance. Applications that clearly show adherence to sustainability regulations and building standards receive more favourable consideration.

Specific Considerations for Home Extensions and Permitted Development

Home extensions represent one of the most common types of residential development, with distinct pathways through either permitted development rights or full planning permission. Understanding which route applies to your project—and the specific limitations of each—directly affects your likelihood of approval.

Permitted Development Rights

Permitted development allows you to extend your home without applying for planning permission, provided you meet specific size limits and conditions. For single-storey rear extensions, you can typically build up to 4 metres deep for detached houses or 3 metres for semi-detached and terraced properties.

The rules include several critical limitations. Extensions cannot exceed the height of the existing house's highest roof point. The eaves height of your extension must not surpass the existing eaves height. Additionally, no more than 50% of the land around your original house can be covered by buildings, including the extension and any outbuildings.

These rights don't apply to flats or houses created through permitted development conversions. Your local authority may have removed these rights through an Article 4 Direction, particularly in conservation areas. Properties in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or World Heritage Sites face additional restrictions.

Planning Permission for Extensions

When your proposal exceeds permitted development limits or your rights have been removed, you'll need to submit a householder planning application. Previous decisions for similar extensions in your street carry substantial weight in these cases.

Planning officers assess extensions against policies covering design, character, and neighbour amenity. They examine whether your extension respects the existing building's proportions and materials. The cumulative effect of extensions in the area matters—if neighbouring properties have similar additions, this strengthens your case.

Material considerations include the extension's visibility from public viewpoints and its impact on the street scene. Officers review previous approvals for comparable schemes as precedents.

Common Issues: Loss of Light and Privacy

Loss of light represents the most frequent objection to home extensions. Planning officers apply the 45-degree rule: an imaginary line drawn at 45 degrees from the centre of your neighbour's nearest window. If your extension breaches this line, it likely causes unacceptable loss of light.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) guidelines provide technical assessment methods for daylight and sunlight impact. Previous decisions involving similar proximity to boundaries establish local precedents for acceptable standards.

Privacy concerns arise when extensions create new windows overlooking neighbouring gardens or habitable rooms. A 21-metre separation distance between facing windows typically satisfies privacy requirements. Ground-floor extensions rarely cause privacy issues unless they include raised platforms or balconies above 0.3 metres high.

Planning Approval Rates and Local Authority Variances

Approval rates across England's local planning authorities vary dramatically, from as low as 29% to 100% in some councils. Understanding these variations and how your LPA approaches planning decisions can significantly improve your application strategy.

Approval Rates by Council

Planning approval rates differ substantially between councils. In the year ending June 2025, England's local planning authorities approved 87% of all planning decisions on average. However, this national figure masks extreme variations at the local level.

Some councils like Woking approved just 29% of applications whilst top-performing authorities granted 100% of planning permissions. In London, approval rates ranged from 64% in Hounslow to 98% in neighbouring Hammersmith and Fulham. Boston ranked amongst the highest approval rates for residential developments of more than one dwelling.

Decision timelines also vary considerably. Most authorities process applications within 13 weeks, but some take up to 3.7 years. Between October and December 2024, district-level planning authorities received 79,000 applications and made 70,900 decisions in January to March 2025, down 10% from the previous year.

Role of Planning Policy and the LPA

Your local planning authority's policies and procedures directly affect approval likelihood. Each LPA interprets national planning policy differently based on local development plans and strategic priorities.

Councils like Enfield and Redbridge delegated decisions on nearly 100% of applications to planning officers rather than committees. This delegation rate affects processing speeds and decision consistency. The variation in approval rates often reflects different local circumstances, housing targets, and policy frameworks rather than simply being strict or lenient.

Your LPA's approach to development types matters significantly. Some authorities prioritise certain development categories whilst restricting others based on local plans and neighbourhood policies.

Using Data to Your Advantage

Research your council's performance data before submitting your application. Government open data tables provide detailed statistics on approval rates, decision speeds, and application types by local authority.

Check your LPA's recent decisions on similar developments in your area. This reveals their current stance on specific development types and locations. Review planning committee reports and delegated decision notices to understand what factors influenced past approvals or refusals.

Compare your council's approval rate against neighbouring authorities. If your LPA has a significantly lower approval rate, prepare a stronger case addressing local policy concerns. Time your application strategically when authorities face pressure to meet decision deadlines or housing delivery targets.

Appeals and What Happens After a Decision

If your planning application gets refused, you have the right to challenge that decision through the appeals process. The Planning Inspectorate handles these appeals, and understanding the grounds for appeal, how inspectors make decisions, and what timelines to expect can help you decide whether appealing is worth pursuing.

Grounds for Appeal

You can appeal a planning decision in three specific situations. The first is when your application was refused outright by the local planning authority. The second is when you received planning approval but with conditions you find unreasonable or unacceptable. The third ground applies when the council failed to make a decision within their legal deadline—typically eight weeks for standard applications.

An appeal is not a fresh application. It's a formal review of whether the council's decision was reasonable based on planning policy and the evidence submitted. You cannot introduce entirely new proposals during an appeal, though you can clarify or strengthen your original case.

Only the person who submitted the original application can lodge an appeal. Third parties who objected to a proposal have no right to appeal if planning approval is granted.

Role of the Planning Inspector

The planning inspector is an independent professional who reviews your case without bias towards either you or the council. They examine whether the local planning authority applied planning policies correctly and weighed all relevant considerations properly.

Inspectors can uphold the original decision, overturn it completely, or modify conditions attached to an approval. Their decision is based solely on planning grounds—they cannot consider property values, private disputes between neighbours, or commercial competition.

The Planning Inspectorate assigns inspectors and decides which procedure your appeal will follow: written representations, a hearing, or a public inquiry. Written representations suit straightforward cases. Hearings work for appeals needing discussion but not formal evidence. Inquiries handle complex cases requiring detailed cross-examination.

Timelines and Success Rates

Appeal deadlines vary by application type. You have 12 weeks from the decision notice date to appeal a refused householder application. For other planning applications, you have six months. If an enforcement notice has been served, you may only have 28 days.

Once submitted, the Planning Inspectorate validates your appeal and sets a timetable. Written representation appeals typically conclude within 16-18 weeks. Hearings take 20-24 weeks. Public inquiries often extend beyond six months.

Success rates vary significantly. Nationally, around 30-35% of planning appeals succeed. Your chances depend heavily on the strength of the council's reasons for refusal and whether you can demonstrate they misapplied planning policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Past planning decisions create a record that directly shapes your application's outcome. Understanding how previous approvals, rejections, and local policies influence planning officers helps you build a stronger case.

How do historical planning approvals affect my current application?

Historical planning approvals on your site or nearby properties establish what the council considers acceptable development. Planning officers review these past decisions to maintain consistency in their judgements. If a similar design or scale was approved previously, you can reference it to support your application.

Past approvals reveal specific details about acceptable materials, building heights, and footprints. The decision notices from previous applications outline conditions that the council deemed necessary. You can use this information to align your proposal with what has already been accepted.

Planning officers are more likely to approve applications that follow established precedents. If you can demonstrate that your plans match or improve upon previously approved developments, you strengthen your position considerably.

Can previous rejections on a property influence new planning applications?

Previous rejections on your property provide a clear guide to what the council will not accept. The decision notice for a refused application lists specific reasons for refusal. These reasons tell you exactly what issues you must address in a new application.

Planning officers keep records of all applications, including rejections. They will compare your new proposal against past refusals to ensure you have resolved the original problems. Submitting a similar design without addressing the stated concerns will likely result in another refusal.

You can overcome past rejections by directly tackling each reason for refusal in your new design. Include a cover letter that explains how your revised plans address previous concerns. This approach shows the planning officer that you have listened to their feedback.

What are the implications of area precedent on planning permissions?

Area precedent means that planning decisions in your neighbourhood affect what you can build. Councils aim to maintain consistency across similar applications within the same area. If multiple properties nearby have received approval for extensions or conversions, this creates a pattern that supports your application.

You can search neighbouring properties on your council's online planning register. Look for applications with similar proposals to yours that were approved. Reference these approvals in your design and access statement to demonstrate that your plans fit the local pattern.

Planning officers must justify why they would refuse an application that matches approved developments nearby. Strong area precedent makes it harder for them to reject your proposal without clear reasons. However, each application is still assessed on its own merits against current planning policies.

How significant is the role of former land use decisions in current planning outcomes?

Former land use decisions reveal constraints that may affect your current application. Old industrial sites might have contamination issues flagged in previous applications. Agricultural land may have ecological surveys that identify protected species or habitats.

The planning history shows what surveys and assessments were required for past applications. You will likely need to provide similar documentation for your proposal. This might include bat surveys, tree protection orders, or soil contamination reports.

Previous land use also establishes the principle of development on a site. If the land already has planning consent for residential use, it is easier to gain approval for a new house than on land with no development history. The council has already accepted that building is appropriate in that location.

In what ways do local planning policies shape planning application success rates?

Local planning policies set the rules that determine whether applications are approved or refused. Each council publishes a Local Plan that outlines its requirements for new development. Planning officers must make decisions that comply with these policies.

Councils approve applications that align with their Local Plan objectives. These might include policies on housing density, design standards, or conservation areas. You can find your council's Local Plan on their website to understand what they prioritise.

Success rates vary between councils based on how strictly they interpret their policies. Some councils approve most applications that meet basic requirements, whilst others apply policies more rigidly. Researching your council's approval rates and recent decisions helps you gauge your chances.

Does the history of a site impact the likelihood of gaining planning consent?

A site's history directly impacts your chances of approval. Previous consents, even if expired, demonstrate that the council has accepted the principle of development. You can use an expired consent as the basis for a new application with similar or reduced scale.

Sites with listed buildings nearby require heritage statements to show how your design respects the historic environment. The planning history will reveal what heritage conditions were applied to past applications. You must address these same concerns in your proposal.

Tree protection orders, ecological restrictions, and flood risk assessments from previous applications remain relevant to your plans. These constraints do not disappear over time. You will need to work within the same limitations or provide new surveys that show conditions have changed.