The most frequent refusal reasons are loss of light or overshadowing to neighbours, overbearing impact on adjacent properties, designs that are out of character with the area, excessive scale relative to the original house, and overlooking that reduces neighbour privacy. Extensions on terraced and semi-detached houses face particular scrutiny because they directly affect adjoining properties.

Approximately 1 in 5 householder planning applications get refused in England. Refusal rates vary significantly by council, with some London boroughs refusing over 30% of applications while others approve more than 90%. Your local approval rate depends on the council's policies, the character of your area, and how well applications are prepared.

Yes. You can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate within 12 weeks of receiving a refusal decision (or 8 weeks for householder appeals using the fast-track procedure). Appeals are free but take 3 to 6 months to decide. The inspector reviews your case independently, but only around 30% of householder appeals succeed. Most homeowners choose to amend and resubmit rather than appeal.

You'll receive a decision notice explaining the reasons for refusal. You then have three options. First, you can appeal the decision if you believe the council made an error. Second, you can amend your plans to address the concerns and resubmit for free within 12 months. Third, you can abandon the project or scale it back to something that falls under permitted development.

Research what's been approved and refused near your property before you design anything. Keep your extension subordinate to the original house in scale and form. Respect the 45-degree rule to protect neighbour light. Use materials that match your existing property. Consider pre-application advice for complex projects. And address potential objections in your design and access statement.

The 45-degree rule is a guideline councils use to assess impact on neighbouring properties. Draw a 45-degree line from the centre of your neighbour's nearest ground floor window. If your extension crosses that line, it may cause unacceptable loss of light or outlook. While not a legal requirement, many councils apply this test when assessing rear and side extensions on terraced and semi-detached houses.

Neighbour objections alone don't cause refusals. Planning officers assess applications against policies, not popularity. However, if neighbours raise valid material planning concerns such as loss of light, overlooking, or overbearing impact, officers must consider these. Multiple objections highlighting the same issue will strengthen the case for refusal, but only if the concern is a recognised planning matter.

Material planning considerations are factors councils can legally consider when deciding applications. These include impact on neighbours (light, privacy, outlook), design and appearance, effect on character of the area, highways and parking, and flood risk. Councils cannot consider matters like loss of property value, private disputes, construction disruption, or competition with nearby businesses.

Pre-application advice costs £100 to £300 depending on your council, but it can significantly reduce refusal risk. An officer will review your proposal and flag concerns before you pay for full drawings. It's particularly valuable if your project is on the edge of what's acceptable, you're in a conservation area, or similar projects nearby have been refused.

Yes, and your first resubmission within 12 months of the original decision is free. To succeed, you must meaningfully address the refusal reasons. Simply resubmitting the same plans will result in another refusal. Review the decision notice carefully, amend your design to overcome each objection, and consider reducing the scale if the original was deemed too large.