Planning and Building Control
Planning is interested in the way our towns, cities and countryside are developed. This includes the appearance of buildings and the use of land.
We aim to protect the natural (Trees) and historic (Listed Buildings) environments.
Building Control look at building works to ensure the sustainable use of fuel and water, the safety and health of people in or about those buildings.
For many works to buildings or trees, separate permissions will be required from us.
Update on our planning service - Effective 18th September 2023
We continue to have a high number of planning applications currently awaiting decisions. Our current average timescales for deciding applications are as follows:
Householder applications – 18 weeks
Minor applications (including replacement dwellings) – 18 weeks
We are currently allocating applications that received a letter confirming the application was valid circa 14th June 2023 to a planning officer.
If your application is not showing a named case officer currently, we will assign one as soon as we are able to do so. Please be assured that even if no officer is showing we have carried out the necessary consultations and notifications on the application.
To provide certainty to all our customers, a request for an extended time period to determine your application will be made to your agent by one of our Technical team at the time of validating your planning application. If this extended time period is agreed, we will update the website with the new expiry date and the officers will work to meet this realistic timescale as far as possible.
For applications that are pending a decision and are expired, we will be in touch with you to agree an extended time period for a decision as soon as we are able to provide this.
In order to create capacity for us to deal with the applications, phone lines to contact planning officers are only open:
- Tuesdays 10am to 12pm
- Thursdays 2pm to 4pm
Planning officers are not available to take calls outside these times. If a planning officer has any questions about your application, they will contact you.
Please do not contact the planning department for an update on your application. You can monitor the website for comments and consultation responses on your application using the online search facility. See: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/view-and-track-planning-applications
In order to prioritise issuing decisions, we are not currently accepting amendments during the course of the planning application. Should you wish to seek initial views on a proposal, please use our preapplication advice service. See: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/planning-permission
To speed up the determination of your application, please note the following advice:
- Please ensure your application includes all the necessary information.
- Please do not submit updates or revisions to your application unless requested to do so by the Planning Officer
- Please submit current photographs of the site and surroundings to help your case officer assess the application.
- Please put up a site notice if asked to do so and send additional photographs if requested. If you cannot do this, please let us know promptly – failure to display a site notice correctly will cause a delay in processing the planning application.
Thank you for your patience while our officers deal with a heavier than usual workload.
Public Inquiries
Tollgate Road Appeal
Appeal by Vistry Homes of application 5/2022/1988 at Land To The Rear Of 42-100 Tollgate Road & 42 Tollgate Road Colney Heath St Albans Hertfordshire
The Public Inquiry will take place in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans between Tuesday 19 September and Thursday 28 September. On opening day the Inquiry will commence at 10am, otherwise at 9:30am. It is not scheduled to meet on Monday 25 September.
There is limited capacity for around 50 members of the public in the Council Chamber and, if needed, we will operate on a “first come, first served” basis. The chamber is fully accessible.
The Inquiry will also be live streamed / webcast; please visit https://stalbans.public-i.tv to watch - either live or the recording archive (note: webcasts do not appear in the archive instantly; they become available within a few hours).
The current Inquiry timetable is now published on the Inquiry page, but do note that some change is likely (at the Inspector’s direction); this could include the day’s start time.
Chiswell Green Appeals
The Inquiry took evidence and submissions between 17 & 25 April 2023 in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans. The session scheduled for 26 April was not needed. It met again for Planning Conditions and Closing Arguments to be heard on Tuesday 9th May.
The core documents and submissions can be viewed on our web page:
Chiswell Green Inquiry
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Statement on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) at two of our properties.
RAAC roof planks were used in the construction many decades ago of two of our buildings, the William Bird and Abbey View sport pavilions.

Plan to enhance active travel is approved
A long-term plan to create better cycling and walking routes in St Albans District and encourage active travel has been agreed.

Local Plan consultation – still time to give your views
More than 1,500 people have already viewed a video providing information about the draft Local Plan for St Albans District.

Give your views on a draft Local Plan for St Albans District
A public consultation on a draft Local Plan for St Albans District is to be launched – with residents, community groups and businesses all urged to give their views.

Council takes steps towards its Local Plan public consultation
St Albans City and District Council is moving forward with its Local Plan, preparing for its Regulation 18 public consultation later this summer.

Major progress being made with creating a Local Plan for St Albans District
Major progress has been made with the production of a Local Plan for St Albans District with a public consultation on key proposals scheduled to start this summer.

£300,000 award to improve planning service for residents
A £300,000 grant has been awarded to St Albans City and District Council’s planning team for an important digital project.

Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan – only a few days left to make sure your views are heard
Residents and community groups have only a few days left to give their views about a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for St Albans District.
Give your views on a Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for St Albans District
Residents, businesses and community groups can help shape a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for St Albans District.
Timetable for St Albans District’s Local Plan
A timetable for producing a Local Plan for St Albans District has been approved by Councillors.
Have your say on the future of South West Hertfordshire
Views on the future of South West Hertfordshire are being invited, as a draft vision for the area which aspires to accelerate ‘positive change’ is now open for public con

Consultation opens on measures to improve planning process
A public consultation has begun on measures intended to improve the planning application process in St Albans District.
Housing figures for St Albans District to be challenged
The Government is to be asked to urgently clarify how future housing need in St Albans District is to be calculated.

South West Herts’ vision proceeds to next stage
Residents are to be consulted on a detailed vision for further improving South West Hertfordshire.
Changes to planning application process
An important change to the process for planning applications has been agreed by St Albans City and District Council.

How St Albans District will be impacted by measures to protect the Chilterns Beechwoods
Measures taken to prevent the Chilterns Beechwoods suffering further damage may impact some planning applications in St Albans District.