Planning and Design Guide SPD

Developments that are well-planned make a positive contribution to the built environment where people live, work and visit. Our Planning and Design Guide aims to promote higher standards of design and layout in Hertsmere by setting out the key principles that we expect to be applied to new development in our borough. It has been adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which means that the standards and policies within it will be used when we assess planning applications.

The Design Guide is set out in sections, and sets out our principles in order to provide clarity for homeowners, developers and anyone one else carrying out work which requires planning permission. It covers the layout and appearance of both domestic extensions and new house building, as well as commercial development, including changes to shop fronts.

Part A: Overview and Context (adopted 2006)

(PDF 784kb)

Part B: Permitted Development

Withdrawn due to continuing changes to the General Permitted Development Order in 2010.

Part C: Site Appraisal: Design and Access Statements (adopted 2006)

(PDF 626kb)

Part D: Guidelines for High Quality Sustainable Development (draft revised version 2016)

We are preparing a revised Draft Planning and Design Guide - Part D Guidelines for High Quality Sustainable Development, which has been approved by the council's executive for interim development management use in planning decisions taken on or after 15 September 2016.

A period of public consultation ran until 5pm on Monday 21 November 2016. Further information can be found on the Draft Design Guide Consultation page.

Previous version of Part D

You can still view the previous version of the

(PDF 1.78mb), which was adopted in 2013, but please note that this is not currently being used in decision-making on planning applications.

Part E: Guidelines for Residential Extensions and Alterations (adopted 2006)

(PDF 1.37mb)

(PDF 549kb) adopted 2015

(PDF 80kb)

Part F: Shop Fronts (adopted 2011)

(PDF 773kb)