Free planning check
Free Westminster planning permission check
Check in 23 seconds whether your Westminster 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.
Westminster 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% | 1,743 |
| Two-storey rear extension | 84% | 287 |
| Wraparound extension | 72% | 46 |
| Side extension | 87% | 242 |
| Loft conversion and dormer | 88% | 1,818 |
| Rooflight | 90% | 2,256 |
| Outbuilding and garden room | 83% | 164 |
| Porch | 84% | 495 |
| Garage conversion | 90% | 58 |
| Basement | 93% | 6,348 |
| Window and door | 89% | 10,172 |
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 Withdrawn and undecided records are excluded.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 Westminster approval rates.
Application guidance in Westminster
Westminster's supporting-document page links its 2026 Local List of Validation Requirements. Conservation-area audits give local design context, but the council warns that older audits can refer to superseded policies. Read the appropriate audit alongside the current policy framework and application checklist.
- Westminster Article 4 directions and address map
- Westminster conservation areas and audits
- Westminster current validation list and supporting reports
- Westminster conservation audits and guidance, L to Z
Sources reviewed . Check the source maps, wording and effective dates against your property and proposed work.
A house and a flat need different application routes
Westminster's householder route covers alterations to a single house. Works to a flat use the full-planning route instead. Confirm the property's lawful use before choosing the application form. Read the council guidance.
Prepare the supporting evidence with the drawings
The council's checklist calls for roof plans for roof works and a sustainable design statement when creating floorspace. Basement proposals bring additional structural and construction requirements. Heritage, tree and daylight evidence depends on the site and proposal; use the checklist to establish the reports needed before submission. Read the council guidance.
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.
13–14 Randolph Road: basement depth changed the outcome
24/01310/FULL and 24/01311/LBC · Committee resolved to refuse, 18 March 2025
The officer recommended approval of a basement and associated works. The committee instead resolved unanimously to refuse planning permission and listed building consent, recording non-compliance with basement-depth policy as its reason.
What to check: Compare the proposed section and existing lower-ground levels with the applicable basement policy before commissioning the full submission. An officer recommendation does not establish the final outcome.
Read the committee decision · Read the officer report (PDF)
Related guidance: Basements · After a refusal
31 Bloomfield Terrace: approval with limits on later alterations
24/08116/FULL and 24/08117/LBC · Committee resolved to grant with conditions, 18 March 2025
The committee voted to grant permission and listed building consent for a new house beside the terrace. The minutes record added historic-wall protection requirements and a condition requiring written permission for later enlargement or material external alteration despite householder permitted development provisions.
What to check: Read the conditions attached to the specific permission. A new house is not necessarily free to use the usual extension rights later, and this complex listed-building case is not a comparable simple house extension.
Read the committee decision · Read the officer report (PDF)
Related guidance: New-build planning permission · Permitted development
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.
- 25/03765/FULL · Recorded refused (2026)
Erection of a single storey ground floor rear extension to Flat 1 with creation of roof terrace above to serve Flat 2.
Search the council register for 25/03765/FULL - 25/03994/FULL · Recorded approved (2026)
Erection of a single storey side/ rear extension.
Search the council register for 25/03994/FULL
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.
Westminster 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 Westminster
Do I need planning permission for my project in Westminster?
Some house extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings can use permitted development rights in Westminster, 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 Westminster?
It depends on the project type. 86% of 1,743 decided single-storey rear extension applications in Westminster were approved. 88% of 1,818 decided loft conversion and dormer applications in Westminster 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 Westminster 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.