London’s Renovation Postcode Lottery 2026: Which Borough Gives Your Project the Best Chance?
The difference between getting your loft conversion approved and having it refused could come down to which side of a borough boundary you live on.
New data compiled from official government planning statistics shows a 31-percentage-point gap between the most and least permissive London borough planning approval rates a gap that has real consequences for homeowners planning extensions, loft conversions, and major renovation work.
Hammersmith and Fulham approves 97.2% of planning applications. Barking and Dagenham approves just 66.2%. Both are London boroughs. The difference between them is not the quality of the applications; it’s the planning culture, the conservation area coverage, and the council’s stated development policies.
Here’s what the full picture looks like, and what it means if you’re planning a renovation project in London in 2026.
The Full London Planning Approval League Table
Borough | Approval Rate
#1 Hammersmith and Fulham | 97.2%
#2 City of London | 96.2%
#3 Kensington and Chelsea | 93.0%
#4 Southwark | 91.4%
#5 Islington | 90.9%
#6 Wandsworth | 89.6%
#7 Bexley | 89.5%
#8 Camden | 89.4%
#9 Sutton | 88.3%
#10 Merton | 87.7%
#11 Westminster | 86.1%
#12 Haringey | 85.3%
#13 Ealing | 85.2%
#14 Lewisham | 84.6%
#15 Hillingdon | 83.8%
— London average: 82.5% —
#16 Hackney | 81.5%
#17 Newham | 81.5%
#18 Tower Hamlets | 81.2%
#19 Richmond upon Thames | 80.0%
#20 Lambeth | 79.9%
#21 Brent | 79.1%
#22 Enfield | 78.8%
#23 Harrow | 78.2%
#24 Greenwich | 77.6%
#25 Barnet | 76.4%
#26 Bromley | 75.4%
#27 Croydon | 75.2%
#28 Kingston upon Thames | 75.1%
#29 Waltham Forest | 74.4%
#30 Redbridge | 74.0%
#31 Havering | 72.8%
#32 Hounslow | 68.3%
#33 Barking and Dagenham | 66.2%
The figures below are drawn from official MHCLG planning statistics (2025), compiled by PlanWatch. They cover all planning decisions made across all application types householder, residential, and commercial by each London local planning authority.
The Result That Will Surprise Most Homeowners: Richmond
If you live in a premium London borough one of the most expensive areas in the country you might assume the planning system would work more smoothly. The data says otherwise.
Richmond upon Thames, where the average house price is £748,900 (Hometrack, July 2026), approves only 80% of planning applications, below the London average and well below neighbouring Wandsworth (89.6%). Hounslow, on Richmond’s other border, approves just 68.3%.
Richmond’s lower-than-expected approval rate reflects its conservation area coverage, the most extensive of any London borough, with 76 designated conservation areas covering large parts of Richmond, Twickenham, Ham, Petersham, and Kew. Applications in those areas face stricter scrutiny, particularly for extensions, dormer windows, and changes that affect the street scene.
This doesn’t mean renovation in Richmond is impossible; far from it. But it does mean the design has to work harder, and an architect or planning consultant who knows the local planning officers is worth their fee.
The Counterintuitive Result: Why High Approval Rates Don’t Always Mean Easy
Hammersmith and Fulham’s 97.2% approval rate is the highest in London. But PlanWatch notes something interesting: the borough is also one of the slowest in England for householder decisions, extending the statutory time limit on 64% of applications.
In other words: you’ll almost certainly get approved in Hammersmith and Fulham but be prepared to wait longer than the 8-week statutory window. For homeowners who are under time pressure, this matters as much as the approval rate itself.
The lesson is that approval rate and process speed are different things. The best borough for your renovation project is the one where your specific type of application is handled efficiently, and that varies by project type, not just by borough.
Where Renovation Adds the Most Value in London
Planning odds are only half the picture. The other half is what renovation does to property values, and in London, the return on well-executed renovation work is higher than almost anywhere else in the UK.
A loft conversion with a master bedroom and en-suite can add up to 24% to the value of a London home, according to a 2025 Nationwide report, more than in any other UK region. In London, the compressed property sizes and large gap between house values at different bedroom counts mean that adding usable floor area has an outsized effect.
A basement conversion in London adds an average of 54% net value uplift after construction costs, according to 2023 Foxtons research and up to 96% in Kensington and Chelsea, where the premium on floor space is at its highest.
The renovation project types with the strongest return in London are:
Loft Conversion with En-Suite
20-24% value uplift. The highest return of any single project for most London Victorian and Edwardian terraces. Permitted Development in most boroughs outside conservation areas, meaning no planning application is required.
Rear or Wraparound Extension
10-20% value uplift depending on the size and what the extension enables, with an open-plan kitchen-diner being the most valued transformation by buyers. Permitted Development outside conservation areas up to 4m (detached) or 3m (semi/terrace), extendable to 6m/8m via prior approval under the Neighbour Consultation Scheme.
Full House Refurbishment
Harder to quantify as a percentage because the baseline varies so widely, but in the buy-to-renovate market in boroughs like Brixton and Stockwell (Lambeth) and Tooting and Balham (Wandsworth), full gut refurbishments on unmodernised Victorian terraces consistently deliver gross development value uplifts of £200,000-£400,000 on the right property.
Kitchen knockthrough
Not a standalone value driver, but the single most impactful transformation in terms of liveability and buyer appeal, converting the original Victorian terrace layout (separate kitchen at the rear, reception at the front) into an open-plan kitchen-diner. No planning required. Building Regulations apply to the structural steelwork.
What This Means for Your Project
If you’re in a high-approval borough (Hammersmith, Kensington, Southwark, Wandsworth)
Your application faces a relatively low risk of refusal, but the design still needs to comply with Permitted Development rules and conservation area guidance where applicable. A well-prepared application with clear drawings and a supporting statement is the difference between an 8-week approval and a 3-month back-and-forth.
If you’re in a mid-range borough (Richmond, Lambeth, Hackney, Tower Hamlets)
The 20% refusal rate in these boroughs is concentrated in specific project types, primarily extensions and loft conversions in conservation areas, and applications where the proposal significantly exceeds the Permitted Development envelope. Pre-application advice from the council (typically £200-£500) before you submit is money well spent.
If you’re in a lower-approval borough (Hounslow, Barking, Kingston, Havering)
This doesn’t mean your project can’t be approved; it means you should understand the local planning policy before committing to a design. What kinds of applications are being refused? Is it mainly commercial or residential? Are there specific streets or areas generating most of the refusals? A planning consultant who handles applications in your borough will have this context.
The Permitted Development Shortcut
For many homeowners, the planning approval rate is largely irrelevant because the most popular renovation projects (rear dormer loft conversion, single-storey rear extension, internal knockthrough) are Permitted Development in most London boroughs. You don’t need planning permission for works that fall within PD limits. The approval rate data above covers all planning applications, including those that would have been better submitted as Permitted Development certificates or not submitted at all.
Three Questions to Ask Before You Start
1. Does my project need planning permission, or is it Permitted Development?
Many homeowners apply for planning permission for works they don’t actually need it for, wasting 8-13 weeks and £250-£500. Check the Permitted Development rules for your project type first. In conservation areas and Article 4 Direction areas, PD rights are restricted, but outside those, most extensions and loft conversions up to certain dimensions are PD.
2. What is my borough’s track record on this type of application?
Not all boroughs are equally likely to refuse your specific application type. A borough with a low overall approval rate might be very permissive on homeowner extensions and tough on commercial. Know which category your project falls into.
3. Have I spoken to a specialist contractor before appointing a designer?
A contractor who regularly works in your borough will know what Lambeth or Richmond planning officers tend to approve or push back on. That knowledge, applied at the design stage, saves time and money.
Which London borough has the highest planning approval rate?
Hammersmith and Fulham has the highest planning approval rate of any London borough at 97.2%, according to MHCLG planning statistics (2025) compiled by PlanWatch. This is also higher than the England average of 87%. However, despite its high approval rate, the borough is one of the slowest in England for householder decisions, extending the statutory 8-week time limit on 64% of applications. You are very likely to be approved, but plan for 12-16 weeks, not 8.
Which London borough refuses the most planning applications?
Barking and Dagenham has the lowest planning approval rate in London at 66.2%, a 31-point gap below Hammersmith and Fulham. Hounslow (68.3%) is the second lowest. Both are significantly below the London average of 82.5% and well below the England average of 87%.
What is the average planning approval rate in London?
The London average is 82.5%, which is 4.5 percentage points below the England average of 87%. London as a whole is a harder planning environment than the rest of England, driven by higher conservation area coverage, greater development pressure, and more complex applications.
Why does Richmond have a low approval rate despite being one of London’s most expensive boroughs?
Richmond upon Thames approves only 80% of planning applications, below the London average and well below neighbouring Wandsworth (89.6%), despite being one of the most expensive areas in the country. The reason is conservation area coverage: Richmond has 76 designated conservation areas, the most extensive of any London borough. Applications in conservation areas face stricter scrutiny for extensions, dormer windows, and changes that affect the street scene, which pushes the overall approval rate down.
Does planning permission approval rate affect Permitted Development?
No. Permitted Development rights are set by national legislation, the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO), not by local planning authorities. If your project falls within PD limits (a rear dormer loft conversion, a single-storey rear extension within 3m, an internal knockthrough), you do not need planning permission regardless of which borough you live in. The approval rates in this article cover formal planning applications only. In conservation areas and Article 4 Direction areas, some PD rights are removed, but this affects what you can do without applying, not the council’s likelihood of approving what you do apply for.
What is the difference between planning approval rate and decision speed?
They are separate measures. A borough can have a high approval rate but be very slow to decide. Hammersmith and Fulham is the clearest example (97.2% approval, but extends the statutory time limit on 64% of applications). Conversely, a faster borough might approve a lower percentage. When planning your project programme, check both: the borough’s approval rate for your project type, and its track record on decision speed for householder applications specifically.
Should I move forward with a renovation project in a lower-approval borough?
Yes – with the right preparation. A lower overall approval rate does not mean your specific project will be refused. Many boroughs with low overall rates are far more permissive on householder extensions and loft conversions than they are on commercial or large residential applications. Before committing to a design, check the Permitted Development rules for your project type first (many projects do not need planning at all), and if planning is required, consider paying for pre-application advice from the council (typically £200-£500) before you submit. A planning consultant who knows your borough’s officers can also significantly improve your chances.
Getting Matched Quotes for Your London Renovation
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