Skip to content

26 Northfields, Dunstable, LU5 5AL

CB/25/03616/FULLFull ApplicationRefused
Full

Refused on 16 February 2026

Council decision: Full Application - RefusedDelegated (officer decision)3 reasons for refusal

Approximate location: the centre of the postcode, not the exact property.

Proposal

Two storey side and rear extension with single storey rear extension

Received
11 November 2025
Decision level
Delegated (officer decision)
  1. Received11 Nov
  2. Validated23 Dec
  3. Consult.13 Feb
  4. Target17 Feb
  5. Decided16 Feb

Decided in 55 days (council typically 56)

About this application

This is a full planning application for a single storey rear extension at 26 Northfields, Dunstable, LU5 5AL. Central Bedfordshire has handled 5,653 applications of this type. This one was decided in 97 days, 6 weeks longer than Central Bedfordshire's typical decision time. The site is in a conservation area. There have been 2 other applications at this address. We hold 1,284 applications in total for the LU5 postcode area.

82% of full applications at Central Bedfordshire Council were approved. Across all application types, the council typically decides in about 8 weeks (median).

Based on decided applications received in the last 3 years.Planning something similar? See what gets approved on your street

Why it was refused

  1. The proposed two-storey extension, due to its significant width and depth combined with the roof ridge not being set down below that of the original dwelling and it not being set back from the front elevation, would not represent a subservient addition to the dwelling and would not relate well to the design or character of the dwelling. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan, and Section 11 of the Central Bedfordshire Design Guide.
  2. The two-storey extension would detrimentally impact the openness of the corner as the space between the dwelling and the corner would be significantly reduced. The loss of the open aspect of the corner would be considered to have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area, which is contrary to policy HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan, and Section 11 of the Central Bedfordshire Design Guide.
  3. It is considered that both two-storey and single storey extension, due to their proximity to and projection beyond the rear of the attached neighbouring property, 28 Northfields, would have an unacceptable overbearing impact on this neighbour through a sense of enclosure. In addition to this, the extensions are not considered to meet the 45° guidance and would therefore result in an unacceptable loss of sunlight. As such, the proposal is not considered to constitute high quality design and would be discordance with Policy HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan, and Section 11 of the Central Bedfordshire Design Guide.

From the council's decision notice.

Application details

Postcode
LU5 5AL
Application type
Full Application
Scale / size
Small
Parish
Dunstable

Planning application dates

Date validated
23 December 2025
Consultation expiry
13 February 2026
Consultation start
23 December 2025
Consultation end
13 February 2026
Target decision date
17 February 2026

Applicant and agent

Agent address
1 Studio Court Queensway Bletchley Milton Keynes MK2 2DG

Planning decision

Statutory period
56 days

Additional information

Documents
14

Site constraints

Checking the site
2/3
Council recordsAppealsFlood risk

Designations at the address point. Ones next to the site may also apply.

  • Flood zone 1: Low probability (rivers and sea)

Possibly incomplete for this council: tree preservation orders.

Also checked, none recorded (23)

flood storage areas, conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, green belt, scheduled monuments, World Heritage Sites, World Heritage Site buffer zones, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, Heritage at Risk entries, nutrient neutrality catchments, national parks, National Landscapes, SSSIs, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Ramsar sites, ancient woodland, national nature reserves, local nature reserves, heritage coasts and brownfield registers.

A guide only, from official open data; it is not a planning search. Flood zones cover rivers and sea, not surface water.

Data © Crown copyright and others · sources and licences

Contains public sector information from planning.data.gov.uk (MHCLG and local planning authorities), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The Historic England GIS Data contained in this material was obtained on 2026-11-03. The most publicly available up to date Historic England GIS Data can be obtained from HistoricEngland.org.uk.

© Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2026. All rights reserved. Flood Map for Planning, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Central Bedfordshire

Track this application

Get email alerts when there is a planning decision or status change.

Get email alerts near LU5

New planning applications delivered to your inbox daily.

Around this site

Discuss this application on r/PlanningPermissionUK

For applicants and trades

Planning something similar?

See what the council approved and refused for two-storey and first-floor extensions on your street. Pick your home and get the evidence before you pay for drawings.

See what gets approved on your streetBuying this property? Report on this address