Stanta Business Centre 3 Soothouse Spring St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Pf

1. 25 Mar 2026

   Received by St Albans

2. 26 Mar 2026

   Validated

   Checked as complete and ready for consideration.

3. 20 May 2026

   Decision issued: Certificate of Lawfulness Approved

4. 31 Aug 2026

   Added to PlanIndex

Permission has been granted, usually subject to conditions listed on the decision notice, some of which must be discharged before work starts. The decision notice on the council portal sets out exactly what was approved.

Work must normally begin within three years of the decision or the permission lapses. Neighbours cannot appeal a grant; challenging one means judicial review of how the decision was made, within tight time limits.

A lawful development certificate is a legal determination, not a planning judgement. It asks the council to confirm either that existing use or works are lawful, often through the passage of time, or that a proposal would not need planning permission at all. The applicant must prove the facts; the merits of the scheme are not considered.

More on lawful development applications in our guide

• 31-33 Soothouse Spring St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Pf

  5/2026/0780 Submitted 17 Apr 2026 0m away

  Discharge of Conditions 4 (written scheme of archaeological work) and 5 (publication and dissemination of findings) of planning permission 5/2025/0672 dated 05/12/2025 for Replacement of existing front office block with warehouse extension and new access

  Decided Conditions Extension 6 docs

• Porters House Porters Wood St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Pq

  5/2016/1923 Submitted 21 Jun 2016 62m away

  Prior approval - change of use from class B1 (office) to C3 (residential) to create 21 flats

  Withdrawn New dwelling 13 docs
  Major scheme

• 14 Melbourne Close St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Lx

  5/2021/3300 Submitted 24 Nov 2021 170m away

  Certificate of Lawfulness (proposed) - Removal of rear conservatory and construction of single storey rear extension

  Granted Lawful development Extension 7 docs
  Small domestic

• 28 & 29 Melbourne Close St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Lu

  5/2017/2638 Submitted 18 Sep 2017 194m away

  Single storey front extensions with rooflights

  Decided Householder Extension Loft or dormer 7 docs
  Small domestic

• 106 Beech Road St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 5Au

  5/2026/0197 Submitted 4 Feb 2026 350m away

  Erection of single storey rear extension with associated fenestration, insertion of skylights

  Decided Householder Extension Windows or glazing 11 docs
  Small domestic

• 21 Ellis Fields St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 6Bg

  5/2021/0875 Submitted 25 Mar 2021 404m away

  Proposed garage conversion with alterations to external doors and windows

  Decided Householder Windows or glazing 11 docs
  Small domestic

• 5/2026/1607 Decided

  5 Flavian Close St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 4Jx

  Certificate of Lawfulness (proposed) - Construction of single storey rear extension with tiled lean to roof fitted with 3no. roof lights

  1 Sep 2026 Lawful development
• 5/2026/0951 Refused

  23 Clarence Road St Albans Hertfordshire Al1 4Np

  Certificate of Lawfulness (proposed) - New single storey garden room and close boarded access gates

  15 May 2026 Lawful development
• 5/2026/1558 Granted

  31 Highfield Avenue Harpenden Hertfordshire Al5 5Ub

  Certificate of Lawfulness ( Proposed) - Proposed rear single-storey extension, side single-storey extension and removal of rear chimney stack

  20 Aug 2026 Lawful development
• 5/2026/0291 Refused

  66 Pondfield Crescent St Albans Hertfordshire Al4 9Pf

  Certificate of Lawfulness (proposed) - Hip to gable and new dormer

  16 Feb 2026 Lawful development
• 5/2026/1252 Refused

  7 Palfrey Close St Albans Hertfordshire Al3 5Re

  Certificate of Lawfulness (proposed) - Single storey/ground floor extension to dining room, to extend as far as kitchen rear/outside wall across to party wall. Repositioning French windows to new rear of room, and repositioning downpipe and soak away in r

  30 Jun 2026 Lawful development