Skip to content

14 West Common Grove Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2LL

5/2025/1473Refused

Refused on 14 October 2025

1 reason for refusal

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

Proposal

Single storey front, rear and side extension, internal alterations to openings, solar panels. Detached garage, new boundary treatment to southern elevation, closure of driveway on southern end of plot with hedging at 14 West Common Grove Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2LL

  1. Received
  2. Validated
  3. Consult.
  4. Target
  5. Decided14 Oct

About this application

This is a planning application for a side extension at 14 West Common Grove Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2LL. St Albans has handled 12,340 applications of this type. The site is in the Harpenden conservation area. There has been 1 other application at this address. In the past year there have been 117 applications across Harpenden South. We hold 3,774 applications in total for the AL5 postcode area.

Why it was refused

  1. The proposed development, through the use of flat roofs, a disjointed roof form and boundary enclosures that would be harmful to the open character of the site and surrounding area, would be harmful to the character and appearance of the surrounding area and would not preserve the character of this part of the Conservation Area. No public benefit from the proposal has been idenfitied. The proposed development is therefore considered to be unacceptable and to be contrary to Policies 69, 72 and 85 of the St Albans Local Plan Review 1994, Policies ESD1 and ESD2 of the Harpenden Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2033 and the provisions of the NPPF.

From the council's decision notice.

Application details

Postcode
AL5 2LL

Applicant and agent

Applicant
Private applicant

Appeal history

3375631
Dismissed
Type: Householder (HAS)Procedure: Written RepresentationsDecision: 16 January 2026Dev Type: Householder developmentsReason: Refusal

Site constraints

Checking the site
2/3
Council recordsAppealsFlood risk

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

  • Conservation area: Harpenden
  • Flood zone 1: Low probability (rivers and sea)
Also checked, none recorded (23)

flood storage areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, tree preservation orders, 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: St Albans

Track this application

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

Get email alerts near AL5

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 wrap-around (side and rear) 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