Caretakers House St James School Paringdon Road Harlow Essex CM18 7RH Data via plota.co.uk

HW/FUL/26/00188 - Full Application Approved

Proposal

Extension and change of use of schoolhouse from use class C3 (Dwelling) to use class E(f) (Childrens Day Nursery) Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

Received
7 May 2026
Validated
13 May 2026
Consultation
18 May 2026
Approved
30 Jun 2026

Approved on 30 Jun 2026 · Delegated Decision · Last checked 5 Jul 2026

Associated applications 2

Site constraints 7

Article 4 direction
HMO - townwide. Named permitted development rights are withdrawn here.
An Article 4 direction withdraws particular permitted development rights, so work that would normally need no application needs one here. Not every council has published its directions.
Local nature reserve 230 m away: Parndon Woods & Common
Work nearby can need a habitats assessment.
Harm to a protected site is only accepted where there is no alternative and an overriding public interest.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Also on the record
SSSI 230 m away: Harlow Woods SSSI; Inside the Harlow built-up area; Tree preservation order 21 m away: Within the Curtilage of Maunds Wood; Priority habitat 18 m away: Deciduous woodland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No listed building at the site

Checked on 11 September 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Harlow
Application type
Full Application
Postcode
CM18 7RH
Received
7 May 2026
Validated
13 May 2026
Ward
Stewards
Case officer
Show
Target decision
8 Jul 2026
Decision
Granted Planning Permission
Decision date
30 Jun 2026
Decision level
Delegated Decision
Applicant
Show
Agent
Domus DC Ltd

How this decision compares

Decided in 48 days from validation, 7 days faster than Harlow's median of 55 for full applications. Approved, as 89% of full applications here are.

74%decided within 8 weeks
89%approved
38decided in the last year

Plota live figures for full applications decided by Harlow in the last twelve months, from validation. Harlow decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-14917749
Neighbours
19 May 2026
Consultation
18 May 2026
Comments by
9 Jun 2026
Site or press notice
20 May 2026
Env. assessment
No
Harlow
Planning Authority Score
3.9/10
Below average
#196 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Harlow ranks #138 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Harlow is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 79% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 79% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Harlow decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
84%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #222 of 296
79%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #283 of 296
67%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #138 of 296
37%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #120 of 296
38%
Minor dwellings approved
8 decided (1-9 homes)
80%
Major dwellings approved
5 decided (10+ homes)
80%
Change of use approved
20 decided
278
Total decisions
45 refused in the year to March 2026