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Welcome to Planning and Building Control. These pages provide information on all aspects of planning and building control in Dacorum.

News and Current Issues.

Previous News and Issues - Previous news articles on planning issues.

Building Control News can be accessed from this link.

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Interactive Adopted Local Plan

The Dacorum Borough Local Plan was adopted on 21 April 2004.

By direction of the Secretary of State all policies in the Plan have been saved - i.e. continue to apply - except Policy 27. You can view the pdficon Direction on Saved Local Plan policies (PDF 635 KB, opens in new window) online.

Details of the review of the Local Plan can be viewed here: The Local Development Framework (LDF).


News & Current Issues

Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document

The Council, with consultants Cushman and Wakefield, has prepared a new Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) – Planning Obligations – for consultation.

The SPD uses evidence of need and cost to formulate a standard charge for new residential development to help mitigate its impact on the borough’s infrastructure. 

The consultation period runs from 9 August to 17 September.  All representations must be received by the Council no later than 4.45pm on Friday 17 September.

You can comment in a number of ways:

Please send a copy of your completed comments form to:

  • Spatial Planning,
    Dacorum Borough Council,
    Civic Centre,
    Hemel Hempstead,
    Herts HP1 1HH

If you have any queries about the consultation, please call the spatial planning team on 01442 228663.

A Sustainability Appraisal of the key significant environmental, economic and social effects of the SPD has been conducted and is available here:

PDF icon Sustainability Appraisal for Planning Obligations SPD (PDF 296 KB, opens in a new window).

Much of the evidence for the information in the SPD is taken from the Dacorum Infrastructure Delivery Reports, undertaken by consultants URS.  You can view these reports here:

PDF icon Infrastructure Delivery Report - Transport Report (PDF 4.81MB, opens in a new window).

PDF icon Infrastructure Delivery Report - Utilities Report (PDF 1.53 MB, opens in a new window).

PDF icon Infrastructure Delivery Report - Social Report (PDF 1.82 MB, opens in a new window).

PDF icon Infrastructure Delivery Report - Executive Summary (PDF 2.06 MB, opens in a new window).

Please note that the reports are in draft form and are subject to change in light of further review between the Council and the consultants (URS). These reports are for information purposes only – they are not for public consultation.


New Coalition Government Proposals for Planning

Please see the DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government) website for more information on proposals affecting Planning.


RSS (Regional Spacial Strategy) and East of England Plan Review

Please check the GO-East (Government Office for the East of England) website for information on the Review of the Regional Spacial Strategy and the East of England Plan.


High Speed 2 Rail Link - 'Exceptional Hardship Scheme' Consultation

Due to concerns about the impact the announcement on High Speed 2 Rail Link (HS2) will have upon private house sales along the proposed route, an 'Exceptional Hardship Scheme' has been proposed.


Town & Country Planning Key Changes


Environment Agency -
Free Pre-Application Service


Fees for Minor Non-Material Amendments and extensions of time


Conservation Character Appraisals Consultation

  • The Conservation Character Appraisals for Bovingdon and Chipperfield Conservation Areas are now available for consultation.

New Application procedure to all non-material amendments


Planning Permission extension arrangments clarified


Charges for Documents, Pre-Application Advice and Invalid Applications


Highbarns Chalk Mines

  • Highbarns Chalk Mines
    Dacorum Borough Council is working closely with Hertfordshire County Council to assess the situation in more detail and develop an appropriate plan for further action.

LDF - Local Development Framework. Progress so Far

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