Waterhall Farm The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN Data via plota.co.uk

26/01947/PNR - Prior Approval Class R Agric to Flex Use Approved
AgriculturalChange of useCommercial premises

Proposal

Change of use of existing agricultural building to flexible commercial use comprising pottery studio and workshop, pottery teaching and associated storage, together with gym equipment repair and associated storage. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
4 Aug 2026
✓
Approved
28 Sept 2026

Approved on 28 Sept 2026 · Delegated · Last checked 30 Sept 2026

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 8

Grade II listed: Numbers 10, 12/14, 16 and 18 (Waterhall Farm)
List entry 1177202 · 30 m away · 4 more listed buildings within 150 m (4 Grade II)
Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show the other 4 with distances
Historic England ↗
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 ↗
Whitwell 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 ↗
Also on the record
Radon affected area, class 2; Registered park or garden 195 m away: St Paul's Walden Bury; Inside the Whitwell (North Hertfordshire) built-up area; Priority habitat 38 m away: Deciduous woodland; 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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Nearby new applications

15 Sept 2026Pending

3 Mimram Close Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8HR

Enlargement of rear dormer previously approved under planning permission 26/0147...

26/02185/FPH
3 Sept 2026Approved

28 Bradway Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BE

Single storey rear extension and rear roof extension including dormer window.

26/01874/FPH

Important details

Council
North Hertfordshire
Application type
Prior Approval Class R Agric to Flex Use
Postcode
SG4 8BN
Received
4 Aug 2026
Validated
4 Aug 2026
Ward
Hitchwood Ward
Parish
St Pauls Walden Parish Council
Case officer
Show
Target decision
28 Sept 2026
Decision
Prior Approval Not Required
Decision date
28 Sept 2026
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show
Agent
Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 55 days from validation, about the council's usual 56 days. Approved, as 98% of changes of use here are.

60%decided within 8 weeks
98%approved
45decided in the last year

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

Public comments

No public comments yet.

5 neighbours consulted · Last counted 30 Sept 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15133027
Planning Portal ref
PP-15133027
Comments by
20 Sept 2026

Historical activity at this location

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

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2024 Approved
68 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AL
Single storey rear infill extension. Internal and external alterations
24/02700/LBC
2024 Approved
68 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AL
Single storey rear infill extension and alterations to fenestration
24/02699/FPH
2023 Approved
71 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AH
T3, T5 Lawson Cypress, T4 Cherry laurel, T6 Leyland Cypress - Remove
23/00349/TCA
2023 Approved
71 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AH
T3, T5 Lawson Cypress, T4 Cherry laurel, T6 Leyland Cypress - Remove
23/00349/TCA
2022 Approved
2 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Erection of detached shed
22/02622/FPH
2022 Approved
2 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Erection of detached shed
22/02622/FPH
2022 Approved
62 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
Single storey front extension.
22/00723/FP
2022 Approved
62 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
Single storey front extension.
22/00723/FP
2020 Approved
62 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
Front porch extension
20/01787/FP
2020 Approved
62 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
Front porch extension
20/01787/FP
2020 Approved
The Old Tannery The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
G1 Leyland Cypress - Fell to ground level
20/01043/TCA
2020 Approved
The Old Tannery The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
G1 Leyland Cypress - Fell to ground level
20/01043/TCA
2020 Approved
Wisteria Cottage 70 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AL
T1 Wild cherry - Pollard at 6m from ground level. T2 Silver birch - Fell to ground level
20/00673/TCA
2020 Approved
Wisteria Cottage 70 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AL
T1 Wild cherry - Pollard at 6m from ground level. T2 Silver birch - Fell to ground level
20/00673/TCA
2020 Approved
8 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Single storey rear extension
20/00165/FPH
2020 Approved
8 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Single storey rear extension
20/00165/FPH
2019 Approved
81 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AH
Installation of 2 no. roof lights to the west elevation of the rear kitchen outshot. Repl…
19/01830/LBC
2019 Approved
2 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Cherry - Remove
19/02368/TCA
2019 Approved
58 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
Single storey rear extension
19/01415/FPH
2019 Approved
62 High Street Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8AG
G1 15 x Conifers - Fell to ground level
19/00094/TCA
2018 Approved
18 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 8BN
Apple, Leylandii - Reduce by 30%
18/02746/TCA
2017 Approved
11 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin SG4 8BN
Remove one Silver Birch tree located at the front/side of the property.
17/02727/1TCA
2017 Approved
8 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin SG4 8BN
T1 Willow - remove vertical stem over stream. T2 Willow - reduce height to main fork and…
17/01747/1TCA
2017 Approved
8 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin SG4 8BN
Single storey rear extension.
17/01400/1HH
2017 Approved
16 The Valley Whitwell Hitchin SG4 8BN
Remove Conifer Tree
17/00251/1TCA
North Hertfordshire
Planning Authority Score
6.9/10
Good
#66 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

North Hertfordshire ranks #128 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (95%) than the national average (90%).

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
North Hertfordshire decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
93%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #62 of 296
95%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #87 of 296
69%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #128 of 296
32%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #65 of 296
82%
Minor dwellings approved
112 decided (1-9 homes)
84%
Major dwellings approved
19 decided (10+ homes)
90%
Change of use approved
21 decided
1,102
Total decisions
82 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings