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Dacorum Planning Applications: A 2026 Guide for Hertfordshire

Bhavesh Ramburn

Dacorum planning applications: which authority handles yours?

If you are searching for a planning application in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Kings Langley, Bovingdon, Markyate, or any of the villages of the Dacorum borough, the responsible Local Planning Authority (LPA) is Dacorum Borough Council. The council is a non-metropolitan district in west Hertfordshire and operates its own planning service separate from Hertfordshire County Council (which handles minerals, waste, education, and county matters).

The planning service can be accessed via the Dacorum Borough Council planning service page. Application search, application submission, and pre-application advice are linked from there.

Note: St Albans is a separate LPA, and parts of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now the Chilterns National Landscape) extend into the northern part of the borough, around Tring and Berkhamsted. Properties in those areas may be subject to additional scrutiny.

How the English planning system applies in Dacorum

Dacorum is in England, so the primary statute is the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, supplemented by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (the GPDO) which grants Permitted Development rights for certain categories of building work.

For most residents this means:

  • Permitted Development allows a range of small extensions, outbuildings, and alterations without a formal application, subject to the GPDO limits and any local restrictions.
  • Anything outside PD requires a formal application to Dacorum Borough Council, determined under the Dacorum Local Plan 2020–2038 (adopted November 2020).
  • Applications are submitted through the Planning Portal, which hosts the standard 1APP forms and the fee calculator.

For the broader PD framework that governs what you can build in Dacorum without applying, see our guide on Permitted Development Rights in 2026.

How to view or comment on a current Dacorum planning application

Public access to the live application register is a statutory right under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Dacorum operates a public-access planning register that lists all live and decided cases. The register is accessible via the Dacorum Borough Council planning service.

You can also use the Planning Portal for national searches. Members of the public have at least 21 days from the date an application is advertised (site notice and/or neighbour letter) to submit written comments. Comments must relate to material planning considerations — impact on amenity, design, traffic, ecology, residential amenity, heritage, or compliance with the local development plan. Comments that are vexatious or relate solely to private disputes (boundary walls, party walls, loss of a view) cannot be taken into account.

Application fees and statutory timelines

Application fees in England are set centrally by the Town and Country Planning (Fees) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). Indicative fees for the most common Dacorum application types in 2026:

  • Householder application (extensions and alterations to an existing dwelling): £258.
  • Full planning permission for a new dwelling: £541 plus £162 for each additional dwelling.
  • Change of use: varies by class, typically £541 or higher.
  • Prior notification / prior approval (where applicable under the GPDO 2015): £120.
  • Listed Building Consent (where the property is statutorily listed): £293.

The statutory determination period is 8 weeks for householder and most local applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and 13 weeks for major developments (defined under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015). Dacorum generally meets these targets but can extend via a further-information request that pauses the clock.

Conservation areas in Dacorum

Dacorum has a substantial stock of historic towns and conservation areas, reflecting the borough’s position on the edge of the Chilterns and its rich heritage. Designated Conservation Areas include:

  • Berkhamsted — a historic market town with a Conservation Area covering the town centre and parts of the High Street.
  • Tring — a historic market town with a Conservation Area.
  • Hemel Hempstead — the Old Town of Hemel Hempstead is a designated Conservation Area, distinct from the post-war New Town development.
  • Kings Langley — a village with a Conservation Area, including the Kings Langley Palace ruins.
  • Markyate — a village with a Conservation Area.
  • Bovingdon — a village with a Conservation Area.
  • Great Gaddesden — a village with a Conservation Area.

The Chilterns National Landscape (formerly AONB) extends into the northern part of the borough. Properties within or adjacent to the National Landscape may be subject to additional planning controls aimed at conserving the Chilterns landscape.

Within a Conservation Area:

  • Six weeks’ notice is required before any work to a tree.
  • Permitted Development rights are restricted for external alterations, cladding, and demolition.
  • Listed Building Consent is required separately for any alteration affecting the character of a listed building.

For the underlying householder-application context — which is the most common Dacorum application type — see our guide on householder planning permission for a garden office. For the broader UK LPA portal landscape, see our Bradford planning portal guide.

Next steps and resources

Editorial note. This article is for guidance only and does not constitute regulated advice. Dacorum is a non-metropolitan district in west Hertfordshire; parts of the borough fall within the Chilterns National Landscape (formerly AONB) and are subject to additional scrutiny. For project-specific questions, consult a chartered planning professional registered with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).