Policy information sourced from Dacorum Local Plan 2004 Alteration

22 Extensions to Dwellings in the Green Belt and the Rural Area

Extensions to dwellings in the selected small villages in the Green Belt and in the Rural Area will be controlled under Policies 6 and 8 respectively.

Elsewhere in the Green Belt and in the Rural Area the extension of existing dwellings will not be permitted unless:

  1. the extension is compact and well-related to the existing building in terms of design, bulk, scale and materials used;
  2. the extension is well-designed having regard to the size and shape of the site and retains sufficient space around the building to protect its setting and the character of the countryside;
  3. the extension is not visually intrusive on the skyline or in the open character of the surrounding countryside;
  4. the extension does not prejudice the retention of any significant trees and hedgerows; and
  5. the extension is limited in size.

Criterion (5) will be judged according to

  • the appropriate degree of restraint in the Green Belt (Policy 4) or the Rural Area (Policy 7), taking into account the size of the original dwelling:
  • the location of the building - control over size will be tightly applied at more isolated locations in the countryside and at the edges of existing settlements, but may be more relaxed at the centre of these settlements.

For more information please see the Local Plan