51 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX Data via plota.co.uk

26/01778/LDE - Cert of Lawful Use and Dev (existing) Awaiting decision
Admin / procedural

Proposal

Certificate to confirm existing use of the 3-storey residential property as a Large House in Multiple Occupation (Sui Generis), comprising 16 letting rooms occupied by persons living as separate households, with a maximum occupancy of 20 persons. The use has subsisted continuously for a period in excess of ten years preceding the date of this application. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
17 Sept 2026
✓
Validated
16 Oct 2026
Decision
Expected by 4 Dec 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. A decision is expected by 4 Dec 2026.

Comments are open until 17 Nov 2026

Comment on this application ↗

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 5

Bedford conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Heritage at risk: Bedford
On the register of historic places assessed as at risk.
A designated building, monument, park or conservation area assessed as at risk from neglect, decay or development. Proposals that secure its future are looked on favourably.
Historic England ↗
Air quality management area: Bedford Town Centre AQMA
The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.
Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.
Council record ↗
Also on the record
National infrastructure project 299 m away: East West Rail - Bedford to Cambridge and Western improvements, at pre-application; Inside the Bedford built-up area.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No listed building at the site

Checked on 21 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate 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.

Building

Floor area415 m² (4,467 sq ft)
Energy ratingC (asset rating 51)
UseC1 Hotels
HeatingHeating and Natural Ventilation

From the energy performance certificate lodged in April 2019, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Other new applications on this street

25 Aug 2026Approved

2 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2EA

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T1. Purple Plum on the boundary: Prune back overhang to approximately 1m from fe...

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Installation of an Ohme ePod untethered electric vehicle charging point includin...

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25 Aug 2026Approved

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Important details

Council
Bedford
Application type
Cert of Lawful Use and Dev (existing)
Postcode
MK40 2DX
Received
17 Sept 2026
Validated
16 Oct 2026
Ward
Harpur
Parish
Bedford Town
Case officer
Show
Target decision
4 Dec 2026
Applicant
Show

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 21 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15230913
Planning Portal ref
PP-15230913
Comments by
17 Nov 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

25 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
Gladys Ibbett House 3 Linden Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DD
T1 - Lime - Remove epicormic shoots up to 3.5m and remove all significant deadwood - gene…
25/01645/TCA
2025 Approved
32 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
T1 Yew: Lift crown to 3m above ground level. T2 Plum: Reduce lateral crown spread by 1m
25/01015/TCA
2025 Approved
5 The Limes 30 - 34 Linden Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2UX
Certificate to confirm that the details submitted do not require planning permission (Use…
25/00091/LDP
2024 Approved
32 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Two Horse Chestnuts, four Sycamores and one Norway Maple on rear boundary (G1) - reduce h…
24/01963/TCA
2024 Approved
38 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Silver Birch (T1) - pollard to previous reduction level.
24/01824/TCA
2024
32 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Remove dead Crab Apple tree
24/00169/T5DN
2023 Approved
O/S Gladys Ibbett House 3 Linden Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DD
The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and restrictions) (Amendment) Regulations…
23/02433/TELLN
2023 Approved
34 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Re pollard grown out trees to maintain health and size. - Poplar (T1) located at the rear…
23/00178/TCA
2023 Approved
Flat 1 53 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX
1.Holly 2.Neighbours Spruce 3.Self-set Wild Plum 4.Neighbours Wild Plum 5.Laburnham 6.Lab…
23/00057/TCA
2023 Approved
32 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Beech (T1) - reduce limb rubbing on adjacent tree to first small side branch.
23/00024/TCA
2022 Refused
39 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX
Proposed conversion of loft including hip to gable conversion, installation of dormer win…
22/01523/FUL
2021 Refused
39 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX
Proposed conversion of loft, installation of dormer windows and roof lights and conversio…
21/02916/FUL
2021 Approved
Flat 1 Regents Court 44 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Group of Yew trees growing along roadside - Reduce in height by 50% and reduce side branc…
21/02770/TCA
2021 Approved
45 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX
T1 - Bay - Reduce in height by approx 2m and shape the sides to balance.
21/02733/TCA
2021 Approved
O/S 56 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and restrictions) (Amendment) Regulations…
21/01673/PRM
2021 Refused
36 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Loft conversion with side and rear dormers to provide 3 additional bedrooms
21/01445/FUL
2021 Approved
1 Regents Court 44 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Cherry Plum - Remove
21/01363/TCA
2021 Approved
Flat 1 Regents Court 44 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Conifer hedge - remove and grind out stumps
21/00712/TCA
2021 Approved
38 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
T1 - Monkey Puzzle - Fell. T2 - Box Elder - Fell.
21/00804/TCA
2021 Approved
38 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
Silver Birch (T1) - Re-pollard to previous level.
21/00593/TCA
2016 Approved
39 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DX
Walnut - Remove
16/02912/TCA
2016 Approved
Newstead Lodge 43 Shakespeare Road Bedford MK40 2DX
Take down and rebuild an existing boundary wall to the front elevation including excavati…
16/02034/FUL
2016 Approved
Warwick House 38 - 40 Linden Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DD
Proposed new scooter hut to accommodate 4 no. scooters, within existing rear car park
16/01764/FUL
2016 Approved
38 Shakespeare Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2ED
T1 Silver Birch: Re-pollard
16/01109/TCA
2016 Approved
Warwick House 38 - 40 Linden Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2DD
Multistem Sycamore - Fell.
16/00019/TCA
Bedford
Planning Authority Score
2.4/10
Poor
#253 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Bedford is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #201 out of 296. 52% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are slightly less likely to be approved here (86%) than the national average (90%).

Slower than most councils
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Bedford decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
80%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #259 of 296
86%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #239 of 296
56%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #201 of 296
52%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #233 of 296
52%
Minor dwellings approved
109 decided (1-9 homes)
69%
Major dwellings approved
26 decided (10+ homes)
67%
Change of use approved
57 decided
993
Total decisions
203 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.