Herefordshire
A predominantly rural county on the Welsh border, celebrated for its cider orchards, the Black Mountains, and the city of Hereford.
Planning Permission in Herefordshire
Planning permission in Herefordshire is obtained from Herefordshire Council, the unitary authority for the county. The council's planning and building pages provide access to its planning portal, validation requirements, Local Plan policies and pre-application advice service.
The Herefordshire Local Plan Core Strategy, adopted in October 2015, is the primary planning policy framework to 2031. Policy LD1 (Landscape and Townscape) is the primary design and landscape policy, requiring development to demonstrate a high standard of design that responds to local character and landscape setting. The council's Design Guide and Village Design Statements produced for many of Herefordshire's villages provide additional local character guidance that supplements the core strategy policies.
Policy H3 (Residential Development in the Countryside) sets out the limited circumstances in which new dwellings are acceptable in open countryside locations. These include dwellings for rural workers with a proven functional need, locally affordable homes on rural exception sites, and replacement dwellings. The council's emerging revised Local Plan, currently in preparation, will update these policies to reflect national planning policy and local evidence on housing need.
Community Infrastructure Levy is charged by Herefordshire Council at rates set out in its CIL charging schedule. The self-build exemption is available for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years. The exemption form must be submitted and approved before development commences. Herefordshire Council's CIL team administers the exemption and can confirm the applicable rate.
The Wye Valley AONB Management Plan is a material consideration for all planning applications within the AONB boundary. The AONB Partnership can advise on design and landscape requirements before a formal application is submitted. Applications within the AONB must include a landscape and visual impact assessment demonstrating how the proposal conserves and enhances the outstanding natural beauty of the designated landscape.
Validation requirements for planning applications in Herefordshire include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement referencing the Local Plan design policies and relevant design guides, and the statutory fee. Site-specific additional requirements include a flood risk assessment for sites near the River Wye or its tributaries, a heritage impact assessment for sites near listed buildings or within conservation areas (particularly relevant in Hereford city and the historic market towns), and an ecological survey where protected species including otters, bats and great crested newts may be present.
The Herefordshire Local Plan Core Strategy, adopted in October 2015, is the primary planning policy framework to 2031. Policy LD1 (Landscape and Townscape) is the primary design and landscape policy, requiring development to demonstrate a high standard of design that responds to local character and landscape setting. The council's Design Guide and Village Design Statements produced for many of Herefordshire's villages provide additional local character guidance that supplements the core strategy policies.
Policy H3 (Residential Development in the Countryside) sets out the limited circumstances in which new dwellings are acceptable in open countryside locations. These include dwellings for rural workers with a proven functional need, locally affordable homes on rural exception sites, and replacement dwellings. The council's emerging revised Local Plan, currently in preparation, will update these policies to reflect national planning policy and local evidence on housing need.
Community Infrastructure Levy is charged by Herefordshire Council at rates set out in its CIL charging schedule. The self-build exemption is available for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years. The exemption form must be submitted and approved before development commences. Herefordshire Council's CIL team administers the exemption and can confirm the applicable rate.
The Wye Valley AONB Management Plan is a material consideration for all planning applications within the AONB boundary. The AONB Partnership can advise on design and landscape requirements before a formal application is submitted. Applications within the AONB must include a landscape and visual impact assessment demonstrating how the proposal conserves and enhances the outstanding natural beauty of the designated landscape.
Validation requirements for planning applications in Herefordshire include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement referencing the Local Plan design policies and relevant design guides, and the statutory fee. Site-specific additional requirements include a flood risk assessment for sites near the River Wye or its tributaries, a heritage impact assessment for sites near listed buildings or within conservation areas (particularly relevant in Hereford city and the historic market towns), and an ecological survey where protected species including otters, bats and great crested newts may be present.
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