Planning Policy Consultations

Open Consultations

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Closed Consultations

Community Infrastructure Levy

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge that a local authority can apply to developers who are constructing additional floorspace.

CIL money that is collected by an authority can be spent on infrastructure which is necessary to support proposed growth in their area. This consultation is your opportunity to have a say on the proposed CIL charges.

In late Autumn 2024, we consulted on the preliminary draft charging schedule. From the feedback we received, we have produced a Draft Charging Schedule (DCS) which was open for consultation until 18 February 2025. 

You can view the consultation documents on the consultation portal

Public Consultation - Article 4 Directions - Gunnels Wood/Pin Green

We are currently consulting on Article 4 Directions relating to Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment areas.

This consultation closed on 18 February 2025.

What is an Article 4 Direction?

An Article 4 Direction removes permitted development rights and requires a planning application to be submitted.

Article 4 Directions are a means by which a local planning authority can bring within planning control certain types of development, or changes of use, which would normally be ‘permitted development’ (i.e. not require an application for planning permission).

Article 4 Directions relating to Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment areas

Stevenage Borough Council confirmed Directions under Article 4 (1) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, as amended, on 16 December 2022.

The Directions included protection to existing employment uses within the Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment Areas. They removed permitted development rights currently in place, or that were due to come into force, relating to the following changes of uses:

• E(g)(i) (offices) to C3 (dwellinghouses)
• E(g)(iii) (light industrial) to C3 (dwellinghouses)

With effect from 1 August 2021 Class MA was inserted into Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 ("the General Permitted Development Order").

The council is, therefore, seeking amendment for removal of Class PA to make and confirm a Direction under Article 4(1) of the General Permitted Development Order disapplying Class MA for E(g)(i), offices and E(g)(iii), light industrial use, to residential for the same sites within the designated employment areas of Gunnel Wood and Pin Green.

Article 4 Direction: relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

We have made a non-immediate Article 4 Direction, which removes permitted development rights for changes of use from C3 (residential) to C4 (HMO). The Article 4 direction was made on 19 September 2016 and was confirmed on 24 May 2017. The Direction will come into force on 20 September 2017.

Copies of the Directions can also be viewed at our offices in Danestrete, Stevenage Central Library at Southgate and the Old Town Library at 38 High Street.

Stevenage Local Plan Partial Review (LPPR) and Update Regulation 19 consultation

The Stevenage Borough Local Plan was adopted on 22 May 2019. The Plan is the key planning policy document setting a vision for the future development of Stevenage. It looks to guide development and covers areas like housing, the built and natural environment, infrastructure, businesses, open spaces and more.

The Local Plan Review, at this stage, consists of a Partial Review and Update of the Stevenage Borough Local Plan.

This consultation closed on 14 February 2025.

To view a simple explainer of the Local Plan which explains what it is, what changes are being made to it, and help with your response, please view or download the Reg 19 LPPR Booklet below.

Documents to assist with the Regulation 19 consultation:

The two documents below are from 2016 and support the 2019 Local Plan.

Local Plan Policies Map Layers

If you would like to view the 2025 Local Plan Policies Map this can be done on the Local Plan Policies Map Layers web page.

This consultation closed on 14 February 2025.

Supplementary Planning Documents and CIL Preliminary Draft Charges

Two separate consultations were carried out on the following:

• Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and;
• Community Infrastructure Preliminary Draft Charges.

Both consultations closed on 24 November 2024.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)

Supplementary Planning Documents support the strategic and detailed policies in the Stevenage Borough Local Plan (SBLP). The SPDs are designed to set out more detail for how development is carried out.

We consulted on the following SPDs.

The Impact of Development on Biodiversity SPD will be removed from our suite of SPDs - please view the revocation statement.

We produced a booklet to help explain why we are reviewing them and what specific changes we are making.

Community Infrastructure Levy

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge that a Local Authority can apply to developers who are constructing additional floorspace. CIL money that is collected by an authority can be spent on infrastructure which is necessary to support proposed growth in their area. This consultation is your opportunity to have a say on the proposed CIL charges.

More information on CIL can be found on the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy web page.

Stevenage Local Plan Partial Review and Update 2024 consultation

The Stevenage Borough Local Plan was adopted on 22 May 2019. The Plan is the key planning policy document setting a vision for the future development of Stevenage. It looks to guide development and covers areas like housing, the built and natural environment, infrastructure, businesses, open spaces and more.

The Local Plan Review, at this stage, consists of a Partial Review and Update of the Stevenage Borough Local Plan.

This consultation closed on 15 August 2024.

To view a simple explainer of the Local Plan which explains what the Local Plan is, what changes are being made to it and help on your response, download the review document below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you have any queries regarding this consultation, please do not hesitate to contact the Planning Policy Team, planningpolicy@stevenage.gov.uk.