Planning applications in Arun

Planning in Arun

Arun District Council has decided more than 46,000 planning applications since 1993, and about 1 in 9 of those decisions was a refusal. That is a little more lenient than the picture across the areas we cover, where about 1 in 7 decided applications is refused. Next door, Chichester refuses at much the same rate as Arun, while Adur and Worthing turns down closer to 1 in 14.

Home extensions make up the biggest share of the work. Rear extensions lead the way with more than 9,000 applications, and they do well here: only about 1 in 20 decided rear extensions was refused, far better than the 1 in 7 seen nationally. Side extensions (about 1 in 13 refused) and front extensions and porches (about 1 in 17) also fare better than the national rate. Loft conversions and dormers are refused about 1 in 12 times in Arun, against 1 in 5 across the areas we cover, so a well designed loft has a good chance of planning permission in Arun.

Some smaller jobs are harder. Fences, walls and gates are refused about 1 in 7 times, and driveways and dropped kerbs the same, both noticeably worse than the extensions above. Garden rooms and outbuildings are one of the most common applications in the district, with more than 8,000 made, and about 1 in 9 is refused. If you are planning work at the front of the house, a new boundary or a large outbuilding, it is worth looking at what has been approved on nearby streets before you draw anything up.

When Arun does refuse an application, the reasons follow a clear pattern. Of the 573 recent refusals we read, about four in ten pointed to the size, bulk or design of the work, and about three in ten to its effect on the look of the street or area. Around one in five mentioned trees, and a similar share raised neighbours’ light, privacy or outlook, or said not enough information had been supplied. Flood risk came up in about one in six refusals.

The pace of work has slowed. In 2025 Arun received 1,799 applications, against an average of almost 2,000 a year in the three years before, and the busiest year on record was 2007 with 2,271. The refusal rate in 2025, about 1 in 9, was slightly higher than the 1 in 11 of the previous three years.

Heritage matters in parts of the district. Arun has 23 conservation areas and 740 listed buildings, and about one in ten recent refusals raised heritage. If your home is in a conservation area or is listed, expect closer attention to materials, windows and anything visible from the street.

Figures in this section as of 9 October 2026.