Dacorum Borough Council

Adopted Documents We Assess Against

Development plan: Dacorum Core Strategy (2013) (adopted 25 September 2013)

Documents are re-checked against the council's own website weekly. A detected change flags "Policy Update Available" for human review — live assessment standards are never replaced automatically.

Dacorum Borough Council standards at a glance

4 numeric standards taken from Dacorum Borough Council's own adopted documents, each shown with the paragraph it comes from. Figures differ between councils — these are this one's.

Rear extension depth

up to 3m

On a Dacorum terrace or semi, 3 metres is the accepted depth where the extension runs along the shared boundary. For a detached house they publish no figure - it is judged on impact. Local Plan Appendix 7 para A7.2(v)(c)(i)

Amenity neighbouring

at least 23m

Dacorum want 23 metres left between the backs of houses once your two-storey extension is built - measured after it is added, not as things stand now. Local Plan Appendix 7 para A7.2(v)(c)(ii), cross-referring to Appendix 3

at least 11.5m

Dacorum look for an average 11.5 metres of rear garden - the deepest of any council covered here. It is an average, so an irregular plot is judged on the whole garden, and a reduced depth can be accepted with justification. Dacorum Borough Local Plan saved Appendix 7 (provisional citation)

Roof form

at least 1m

Keep the dormer at least 1m in from the side of the roof. Dacorum Borough Local Plan 1991-2011 (adopted 2004), saved Appendix 7: House Extensions (provisional citation)

Standards are what the council normally expects, not a guarantee. A scheme outside them can still be approved on its merits, and one inside them can still be refused for another reason.

Authored Policy Library

7 local policy checks, each citation-locked to the adopted document. National policy (NPPF, national space and daylight standards) applies alongside these.

Dacorum Core Strategy (2013)

• Dacorum Core Strategy Policies CS11 and CS12 — Design character Dacorum judge extensions on how they sit with the streetscape and with neighbouring properties, under Core Strategy Policies CS11 and CS12. Their saved Appendix 7 sets out rear extension design standards - worth checking before you finalise the drawings.
• Dacorum Core Strategy Policy CS12 — Amenity neighbouring Dacorum will look at how your proposal affects adjoining properties - light, outlook, privacy and the bulk of what is built next to them.
• Dacorum Borough Local Plan 1991-2011 (adopted 2004), saved Appendix 7: House Extensions — Roof form (provisional citation) Keep the dormer at least 1m in from the side of the roof.
• Dacorum Borough Local Plan saved Appendix 7 — Amenity neighbouring (provisional citation) Dacorum look for an average 11.5 metres of rear garden - the deepest of any council covered here. It is an average, so an irregular plot is judged on the whole garden, and a reduced depth can be accepted with justification.

Dacorum Borough Local Plan 1991-2011 (adopted 2004), saved Appendix 7: House Extensions

• Local Plan Appendix 7 para A7.2(v)(c)(i) — Rear extension depth On a Dacorum terrace or semi, 3 metres is the accepted depth where the extension runs along the shared boundary. For a detached house they publish no figure - it is judged on impact.
• Local Plan Appendix 7 para A7.2(v)(c)(ii), cross-referring to Appendix 3 — Amenity neighbouring Dacorum want 23 metres left between the backs of houses once your two-storey extension is built - measured after it is added, not as things stand now.
• Local Plan Appendix 7 para A7.2(vi) — Roof form A Dacorum dormer needs a metre in from each side wall and must stay below the ridge. And if you have a side extension built right up to the boundary, they will not normally let you build over all of it at first floor.