Free planning check
Free Hackney planning permission check
Check in 23 seconds whether your Hackney project needs planning permission, and what the council has approved near you. Phase 1 planning drawings: standard rear or side extensions from £995 and loft conversions from £1,495, paid only when the council approves. Council and Portal fees are paid separately at submission.
About the planning data
Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England.
Hackney approval rates by project type
Historical approval rates in our archive, grouped by project type. These describe recorded decisions, not the chance of approval for your proposal. Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England.
| Project type | Approval rate | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | 86% | 1,775 |
| Two-storey rear extension | 80% | 537 |
| Wraparound extension | 87% | 254 |
| Side extension | 85% | 318 |
| Loft conversion and dormer | 75% | 1,293 |
| Rooflight | 86% | 920 |
| Outbuilding and garden room | 90% | 155 |
| Porch | 80% | 66 |
| Garage conversion | 92% | 13 |
| Basement | 88% | 1,742 |
| Window and door | 88% | 1,318 |
A rate is only shown where at least 8 applications of that type were decided; smaller samples are shown as unknown. Withdrawn and undecided records are excluded. These figures cover all recorded years, including records without a year. Full Hackney approval rates.
Application guidance in Hackney
Hackney's residential extensions and alterations SPD took effect in January 2026, replacing the 2009 residential extension guidance. Read it alongside Local Plan 2033 and the site-specific constraints. The council also has separate 2026 commercial alterations and retrofit SPDs; select the guidance and validation evidence for the actual proposal.
- Hackney adopted supplementary planning documents
- Hackney address search for Article 4 and conservation controls
- St Mark’s conservation area and Article 4 documents
- Hackney planning submission and validation requirements
- Hackney planning policies and Local Plan
- Hackney air quality and planning guidance
Sources reviewed . Check the source maps, wording and effective dates against your property and proposed work.
What reviewed local decisions show
These examples use official planning records. Each identifies the decision date and links to the evidence reviewed. They are not Planning Approvals projects or a prediction for another property.
43 St Kilda’s Road: garden-building measurements and use were not proven
APP/U5360/C/23/3328663 · Enforcement appeal dismissed and notice upheld, 25 February 2026
The inspector rejected the claim that the outbuilding was permitted development. The submitted drawing was unreliable, the coverage calculation left out a raised ramp, and the building’s scale and use did not establish an incidental domestic purpose. Planning permission was also refused on design grounds.
What to check: Provide a consistent measured site plan and explain how the proposed use relates to the home. Calling a large garden building a study is not enough to establish Class E rights. The decision concerned this building and its evidence, not all garden offices.
Read the appeal decision (PDF)
Related guidance: Outbuildings and PD · Lawful development certificates
Check the planning register for the issued notice, exact conditions and any later appeal or revised application. A committee resolution is not a substitute for those documents.
Application records to compare
Selected archive records, not a representative sample or a prediction for your address. The descriptions below are archive excerpts and may be shortened; read the original decision and plans before relying on them.
- 2023/1177 · Recorded approved (2025)
Excavation at rear lower ground floor level and erection of a part single storey, part three storey rear extension at lower ground, upper ground and first fl...
Open the council record for 2023/1177 - 2024/0355 · Recorded approved (2025)
Subdivision of the property to create two flats with associated works including the insertion of a rear window, skylights to rear extension and cycle and pro...
Open the council record for 2024/0355
Compare the property type, works and application route. A scheme involving flats or several alterations is not directly comparable to a simple house extension. Read the archive's coverage and limitations.
Hackney planning resources
Check the authority's current records for the property's planning history, application requirements and local restrictions.
Prepare for your planning application
Questions about planning in Hackney
Do I need planning permission for my project in Hackney?
Some house extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings can use permitted development rights in Hackney, but size alone does not establish eligibility. Check the property type, previous extensions, planning conditions and the rules for the proposed work. Householder rights do not apply to flats. Conservation areas and Article 4 directions restrict particular rights; they do not automatically require an application for every change. Listed building consent is a separate requirement for works affecting a listed building's special interest.
What is the planning approval rate in Hackney?
It depends on the project type. 86% of 1,775 decided single-storey rear extension applications in Hackney were approved. 75% of 1,293 decided loft conversion and dormer applications in Hackney were approved. Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England. Every project type is on the Hackney approval rates page.
Read the official guidance on when permission is required, listed buildings and conservation areas and planning decision periods.
Approval rates are computed from 2,343,419 decided applications across 181 councils, published by each council. The free check is guidance from the public record, not a council decision.