Stevenage Planning Consultant
Planning in England's first new town
Stevenage was designated as England's first new town in 1946, and its planned neighbourhoods, employment areas and pedestrianised centre still shape how applications are judged. Cedar Planning advises on HMOs, conversions, extensions and development sites across the borough, working with the Local Plan as updated in 2026.
Cedar is run by Dan Malloy MRTPI and works across England from Norfolk. We handle applications and appeals across England, including Hertfordshire, and travel to Stevenage for site visits when a scheme requires one.
- RTPI Chartered
- Fixed-fee quotations
- Direct advice from a Chartered Planner
The 2019 plan and its 2026 Partial Update
The Stevenage Borough Local Plan was adopted in May 2019 and plans for 7,600 homes between 2011 and 2031. Around 3,000 of those are expected from the regeneration of the town centre, known as Stevenage Central, with the rest spread across urban sites and new neighbourhoods such as Stevenage West under Policy HO2.
Rather than start again, the council chose a targeted review. The Partial Update, adopted on 22 July 2026, keeps the housing and employment requirements but adds a new Policy SP1 on climate change, six detailed climate policies numbered CC1 to CC6, a new design policy GD2 and a new Policy HO14 on houses in multiple occupation. Town centre policies have been refreshed to reflect the 2020 use class changes.
Unlike its neighbours, Stevenage has relatively little Green Belt, around 7 per cent of the borough, because the town was built to fill most of its boundary. The tight edge means pressure falls on existing buildings: subdividing houses, converting offices and intensifying plots. That is where most of our Stevenage work sits.
Every new HMO needs planning permission here
Since September 2017 a borough-wide Article 4 Direction has removed the right to change a family house into a small HMO without permission. The new Policy HO14 now sets the test those applications are measured against, so an HMO proposal needs a clear case on amenity, parking and concentration.
Local issues that come up in Stevenage
The SG1 scheme, led by Mace, is replacing much of the 1950s centre with new homes, public spaces and a relocated bus interchange. Proposals nearby need to fit the town centre policies and the Major Opportunity Areas.
Article 4 Directions made in 2025 remove Class MA rights from listed office and light industrial sites in Gunnels Wood and Pin Green, protecting the borough's main employment areas from piecemeal residential conversion.
Each new town neighbourhood was designed around a small parade of shops. The plan protects these centres, so changing a unit to residential or another use needs to show the parade will keep serving residents.
The Town Square Conservation Area protects the pedestrianised heart of the post-war centre, one of the earliest of its kind in Britain. Shopfronts, signage and alterations there are assessed with the heritage of the new town in mind.
Our planning services in Stevenage
These are the services Stevenage clients use most, each offered on a fixed-fee quotation after an initial review.
HMO Planning Permission
Applications for small and large HMOs under the borough-wide Article 4 Direction, with evidence on room sizes, parking and local concentration to meet the new Policy HO14.
View serviceClass MA Prior Approvals
Commercial-to-residential prior approvals, starting with a check that the building is not one of the Gunnels Wood or Pin Green sites covered by an Article 4 Direction.
View serviceHouseholder Applications
Extensions and loft conversions to new town houses, many built in terraces with shared layouts, where daylight and privacy for neighbours are usually the main test.
View serviceConverting Houses to Flats
Subdivision of larger houses and upper floors in the neighbourhood centres, checked against space standards, parking and the refreshed town centre and housing policies.
Read the guideDesign and Access Statements
Statements for infill and town centre schemes that respond to the Design Guidance SPD and the new Policy GD2, and explain how climate policies CC1 to CC6 are met.
View servicePlanning Appeals
Appeals against refusals of HMOs, conversions and extensions, including cases where the council has applied the new HO14 or climate policies too strictly.
View serviceGuidance, parking and the Community Infrastructure Levy
Two supplementary planning documents carry weight in most Stevenage decisions. The Design Guidance SPD and the Parking Provision SPD were both refreshed in February 2025. Parking is often the deciding issue for HMOs and flat conversions, because many new town streets were laid out with limited on-plot spaces.
Stevenage charges CIL on qualifying new floorspace. The levy began on 1 April 2020, and a revised charging schedule took effect on 22 July 2026, the same day the Partial Update was adopted. Whether a scheme is liable, and at which schedule, should be checked before submission, as it affects viability for small developers.
Policy areas we deal with in Stevenage
Policies HO1 to HO4 on allocations, HO10 on accessible and adaptable homes, and the new HO14 for houses in multiple occupation.
The TC policies guide Stevenage Central and its Major Opportunity Areas, now updated for Class E and the 2020 use class reforms.
New SP1 and CC1 to CC6 set expectations on energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure and the green economy.
GD1 and the new GD2 govern design quality, while GB1 protects the small areas of Green Belt at the edge of the borough.
A Consultancy That Works With You, For You
Stevenage has an unusual mix of controls for its size: HMO and Class MA Article 4 Directions, freshly updated policies and a revised CIL schedule, all changed within the past two years. Applications prepared on old assumptions are easy to get wrong.
We check the constraints first, then build the application around the policy tests the officer will actually use.
RTPI Chartered
Led by a Chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with more than ten years of public and private-sector planning experience.
Honest Prospects
A realistic view of the planning risks and options before you commit time or money.
Fixed, Transparent Fees
Fixed-fee quotations agreed before work starts, so you know the cost from the outset.
Direct Access
You deal with the Chartered Planner doing the work, not an account manager.
Planning Consultants Across Hertfordshire
We cover every council area in Hertfordshire. See our main Hertfordshire planning consultant page.
Stevenage Planning FAQs
Can I turn my Stevenage house into a small HMO without planning permission?
No. A borough-wide Article 4 Direction, in force since 20 September 2017, removes the permitted development right to change from a family house to a small HMO. You need a full planning application, and the council now assesses it under Policy HO14. See our HMO planning service.
Can I use Class MA to convert an office in Gunnels Wood?
It depends on the building. The council made Article 4 Directions in 2025 covering identified office and light industrial sites in Gunnels Wood and Pin Green, removing Class MA rights on those sites. Buildings outside the listed sites may still qualify, so we check the direction plans first.
What changed when the Local Plan was updated in July 2026?
The Partial Update kept the 2019 plan's housing and employment figures but added climate change policies, a new HMO policy, a new design policy and refreshed town centre policies. Applications submitted now must address these, particularly the climate requirements in CC1 to CC6.
Will my development pay the Stevenage CIL?
Many new homes and some commercial floorspace are liable. Stevenage has charged CIL since April 2020 and moved to a revised schedule from 22 July 2026. Exemptions can apply, for example to some self-build homes and extensions, but claims must usually be made before work starts.
Are extensions harder to get approved in new town terraces?
Not necessarily, but the layout of many Stevenage estates, with close rear gardens and shared footpaths, makes neighbour amenity the key issue. A well-designed scheme that tests daylight and privacy early is usually more successful. The larger home extension scheme may also be an option.
Get a Free Quote
Tell us what you are trying to achieve and where the property or site is. We will give you an initial view and a fixed-fee quote.
Or email us at info@cedarplanning.co.uk with the relevant information.
If you are planning an HMO, conversion or extension in Stevenage, book a free 15-minute call, or see our HMO Article 4 and householder appeals pages.