Planning - Information

Replacement web pages are currently being rewritten and will be re-launched shortly. We apologise for any inconvenience. If there are items you would like to be included, please contact the Development Manager (Geof Muggeridge) or the Senior Planner (Richard Holmes) via email at:

geof.muggeridge@threerivers.gov.uk

richard.holmes@threerivers.gov.uk

Please be aware that in the meantime some of the information included here may be out of date. If you are in any doubt, please contact the Duty Planner between 10am and 1pm, Monday to Friday:

• At the Council Offices, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth
• Telephone: 01923 776611
• or by email at: enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk

The following links may also provide further information and guidance:

The following links may also provide further information and guidance:

Communities and Local Government Website – Planning Section

Planning Portal- the UK Government's online planning and building regulations resource

Guidance on information requirements and validation of planning applications 

Fees information  – Please note: recent changes to fees for a non-material amendment and for a new planning permission to replace an extant planning permission (a pdf document). 


The Development Management section provides general planning advice, is responsible for considering and deciding planning and related applications, defending the refusal of planning permission on appeal and taking enforcement action against breaches of control.

Development Management Agents' Forum

27 May 2010

The following are the notes and presentations which were delivered during the Forum.

Changes to the Planning System 2008/10

The Planning system has been amended by the Government throughout 2008/10 through a number of measures. Fees were increased, permitted development rights for householders were increased and the appeals system was improved. Further details will be added here when they become available.

From 1st October 2008 new rules were introduced in respect of the types of development that a householder can carry out without planning permission. These changes are intended to make it easier to improve a dwelling by relaxing planning controls on smaller extensions. These are known as ‘Permitted Development. The following offers further information

• Planning Portal’s Interactive house - The Government has produced an interactive house guide.
• Permitted development for householders - Technical guidance- published by the Government in August 2010. A guide designed to help understand these changes.- published by the Government in August 2010. A guide designed to help understand these changes.
• The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2008 - the full Statutory Instrument
• Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens - new controls however over hard surfaces such as driveways, aimed at reducing water run-off which contributes to flooding.
  

 Planning Guide for Neighbours DOWNLOAD

Frequently Asked Questions

A list of frequently asked questions and answers about Planning can be downloaded below.

Customer Service Charter

Our customer service charter can be viewed below.

If you have a general and straightforward question about a town planning matter, you can contact the Duty Planner for advice between 10am and 1pm, Monday to Friday.  This service is provided to personal visitors without an appointment and to telephone callers.

Please note that as from 10 August 2006, there is a complusory requirement to submit a Design and Access Statement with certain planning and listed building consent applications.  There are also changes in the format of Outline Planning Applications. Guidance about these changes can be downloaded below.

We determine some 1500-1800 applications each year and 90% of these are dealt with under officer delegated powers.   The Development Control Committee is a regulatory committee of the Council which deals with more controversial and larger scale developments. You can view forthcoming and previous agenda, reports and minutes on the Development Control Committee page.

Carbon Impact Assessment (C-Plan)

Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposals meet climate change policy.  For further information and to submit an assessment for your proposal please go to the C-plan website.

Development Management Performance

The Department for Communities and Local Government sets targets for local authorities to determine planning applications. These are set as a % of applications received by category to be determined within a set period of time. The document below sets out how Three Rivers has performed against these targets for the last 4 financial years.

Smoking Shelters

The Government has introduced statutory provisions banning smoking in wholly and substantially enclosed workplaces including public houses and restaurants. Guidance to those considering ways of providing facilities for smokers whilst also complying with the new legislation can be downloaded below.

Advice on installing external lighting for residential properties

Development on potentially contaminated land

Enforcement

Three Rivers District Council takes a firm approach to anyone breaching planning control.  The following documents detail the role of the Enforcement Team of the Development Management Section.