Planning and Building Control

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.

Help and FAQ - If you can't find what you want or are having difficulty navigating the Planning and Building Control pages, this facility might help.

Frequently Used

Online Planning Applications

• Search Planning Applications, view details and submit comments online.
• Find planning application details by Map. This information is available for current applications only. Use map layer "Planning Application - Current" from the list and click "Search Tools" to search for an application or navigate manually using the arrows, scale and/or region controls.

Online Building Control Applications

• Online Building Regulations Submissions

The Planning Portal

• To find out general information about Planning or to make a planning application on-line please see the Planning Portal (opens in new window).

Download 1App Forms

• You can download 1App planning application forms as pdf documents from the Dacorum web site.

Interactive Adopted Local Plan

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

• Adopted Local Plan Policies (Written Statement) 
• Adopted Local Plan Maps (Interactive) 

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  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:

• Using our online consultation portal – please click here.
• Downloading the SPD and comments form electronically from our website and returning the comments form to us either electronically or by post.

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:

 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:

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

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

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

 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.

• DCLG website (opens in new window).

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.

• GO-East Website (opens in new window).

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.

• High Speed 2 Rail Link Exceptional Hardship Scheme Consultation.

Town & Country Planning Key Changes

•  Key changes to Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure)(Amendment)(England) Order 2010 (PDF 91 KB, opens in new window).
  From 6 April 2010, following the Killian Pretty review, the Government is amending existing statutory provisions in relation to:
  • Design and Access Statements - the range of development exempt from the requirements is expanded.
  • Time limits for lodging planning appeals - a new reduced time limit of 28 days where the development is subject to an enforcement notice. 
  • Non-material changes to permitted development - a new reduced time limit for lodging an appeal of 28 days.
  • Publicity for planning applications - the time period for the display of site notices for listed building and conservation area consent, or applications affecting the same, is amended from 7 to 21 days. 
  • Changes to non-domestic PD - permitted development in relation to industry  and warehousing, schools, colleges, universities and hospitals, office buildings, and shops is expanded.
  • Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) - a change of use from HMO (C4) to a dwelling (C3) is now permitted.

Environment Agency -
Free Pre-Application Service

• The Environment Agency offer a free pre-application service.  If the proposed development site is a hectare or more, in flood zones 2 or 3, close to a watercourse or on potentially contaminated land it is worthwhile using this service to check the likely EA response at planning stage.

Fees for Minor Non-Material Amendments and extensions of time

• Please note that fees for minor non-material amendments and for extensions of time are being introduced from 26th February 2010.

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

• New application procedure to all non-material amendments (opens in new window) Arrangements come in from 1st October 2009 that formalise the procedure for making non-material amendments to planning permissions (for example changing the position of a window where there would be no overlooking issues involved or changing the external materials). New forms will apply (see above link).

Planning Permission extension arrangments clarified

• Planning Permission extension arrangements clarified (opens in new window) Arrangements come into force on 1st October 2009 to enable the time period on planning permissions to be extended. New forms and fees will apply (opens in new window).

Charges for Documents, Pre-Application Advice and Invalid Applications

• Charges for Documents, Pre-Application Advice and Invalid Applications
  Following a review of charges in October 2008, the Council has adopted new charges for Documents and for Pre-Application Advice, Invalid Applications, and Application Checking.

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

• Local Development Framework. Progress so far...
  Information on the latest progress with the Local Development Framework.

<< back to top