Is it difficult to get planning permission?

National statistics consistently show householder applications — extensions, loft conversions, garden buildings — succeeding at very high rates. Councils approve the overwhelming majority because most applicants design within well-understood limits.

The averages hide the real story. Approval rates differ significantly between local authorities, and within a single council they differ between streets: conservation areas, Article 4 directions and listed buildings all raise the bar for design and reduce what's allowed by default.

What actually makes an application hard is misjudging local expectations. A rear extension that matches three recent approvals on your street is a straightforward decision for the case officer. A design with no local precedent — or one that repeats a feature the council recently refused next door — invites scrutiny.

The predictable failure points are also well known: overbearing impact on neighbours, loss of light or privacy, and designs out of character with the area. Most refusals cite one of these, and most are avoidable at the design stage.

So the practical question isn't "is planning permission difficult?" — it's "what does my council approve on streets like mine?" That's evidence you can gather before spending anything on drawings.