Land East Of London Road Spellbrook Hertfordshire CM23 4AU Data via plota.co.uk

3/26/1199/FUL - Full Application Awaiting decision

Proposal

Change of use of existing land to Gypsy/Traveller site comprising 1x pitch including siting of a mobile home, touring caravan, utility room, post and rail fencing and 2 x parking spaces Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
28 Aug 2026
✓
Validated
24 Sept 2026
Decision
Expected by 19 Nov 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision between 19 Nov 2026 and 5 Dec 2026, from East Hertfordshire's recent changes of use.

Comments are open until 29 Oct 2026

Comment on this application ↗

Documents 20

Consultation & comments 8

PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 25 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 25 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 25 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 24 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 24 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 24 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 24 Sept 2026 View ↗
PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show Neighbour Correspondence · 24 Sept 2026 View ↗

All documents on the council site ↗

Site constraints 7

Green belt: London
Inappropriate development needs very special circumstances.
Green belt policy allows a short list of exceptions, such as limited extensions and replacement buildings. Anything else needs very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm. Some green belt land can count as grey belt, where it does not strongly serve the green belt's purposes. The council decides this in its green belt assessment or on each application, so we do not mark it here.
Read the government guidance ↗
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 225 m away: Thorley Flood Pound SSSI; Radon affected area, class 2; 3 listed buildings within 150 m; Inside the Spellbrook built-up area; Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 3, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) 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

Application type
Full Application
Postcode
CM23 4AU
Received
28 Aug 2026
Validated
24 Sept 2026
Ward
Sawbridgeworth
Parish
Sawbridgeworth Town Council
Case officer
Show
Target decision
19 Nov 2026
Applicant
Show
Agent
WS Planning & Architecture

Decision outlook

Day 15 of the 56-day target. East Hertfordshire usually decides changes of use by day 63.

Day 1548 days to the predicted decision (day 63)
44%decided within 8 weeks
70%approved
65decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by East Hertfordshire in the last twelve months, from validation. East Hertfordshire decision record →

Public comments

90comments received
89 objecting1 neutral

99% object · above the UK average of 74%

37 neighbours consulted · Last counted 2 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15182790
Planning Portal ref
PP-15182790
Comments by
29 Oct 2026
Statutory expiry
19 Nov 2026
Env. assessment
No
East Hertfordshire
Planning Authority Score
4.9/10
Below average
#152 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

East Hertfordshire is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #93 out of 296. East Hertfordshire is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 84% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 84% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
East Hertfordshire decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
81%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #256 of 296
84%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #256 of 296
73%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #93 of 296
36%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #109 of 296
53%
Minor dwellings approved
128 decided (1-9 homes)
82%
Major dwellings approved
11 decided (10+ homes)
94%
Change of use approved
36 decided
1,184
Total decisions
223 refused in the year to March 2026