Planning applications in Exeter

Planning in Exeter

Exeter refuses about 1 in 7 applications, the same as across the areas we cover, but the mix beneath that figure is uneven. Garden rooms and outbuildings, with more than 4,000 applications, are refused about 1 in 6 times, more often than the 1 in 7 across the areas we cover and more often than applications in Exeter overall. Windows and doors, the second most common kind of work with nearly 5,000 applications, are refused about 1 in 8, again more often than the 1 in 9 seen across the areas we cover, though less often than the Exeter average.

Rear extensions are the largest group, with more than 6,000 applications, and they do better here. About 1 in 9 is refused, compared with about 1 in 7 across the areas we cover. Side extensions, front extensions and porches, and fences, walls and gates are each refused about 1 in 7, level with the picture across the areas we cover. Loft conversions and dormers are refused about 1 in 5, and driveways and dropped kerbs also about 1 in 5, again in line with the wider rate, though both are above the Exeter average. Solar panels are the easiest at about 1 in 13.

The council has dealt with nearly 51,000 applications since 1985, and the busiest year was 2006 with 1,625. In 2025 there were 1,345, above the average of about 1,270 a year across the three years before. Refusals have also become more frequent: about 1 in 8 in 2025, compared with about 1 in 10 over the three years before.

East Devon, the one neighbour with a rate, refuses about 1 in 8, so Exeter refuses more often than East Devon.

Exeter has 20 conservation areas, 985 listed buildings and 14 Article 4 directions. For a home in a protected area, expect closer scrutiny of materials, windows and the front of the property.

In practice, a rear extension is a safe bet, while a garden room or outbuilding calls for more care than many people expect. Look at what has been approved for similar buildings on nearby streets, keep the size and height modest, and make sure the drawings show how the building relates to boundaries and neighbouring properties.

Figures in this section as of 9 October 2026.