Current Estate Management Policies

The policies are used when the council makes decisions on applications for Estate Management consent.

EM1 - Extensions and Alterations Policy

EM2 - Erection of New Buildings Policy

EM3 - Soft Landscaping

EM4 - Hard Landscaping

Additional - Energy Efficiency and Other Roof Alterations

(Downloads of the policies are available at the bottom of this page)

Background to the Policies

In 2008, the council reviewed the policies it uses to consider applications under the Welwyn Garden City Estate Management Scheme.

The policies were subject to a public consultation on the Estate Management Scheme which started on 6 June 2008 and finished at the end of July.  Residents who live within the Estate Management Scheme Area were, notified by letter of the review, in addition to the following:

• Ward members
• Town and Country Planning Association
• English Heritage
• Welwyn Garden City Society
• Welwyn Garden Heritage Trust
• Estate Agents based within the town

During the consultation period articles appeared in Life (distributed to all households in the District in mid June 2008), Welwyn Hatfield Times, Handside Focus and St Bonaventure's Catholic Church newsletter. The Welwyn Garden City Society also held a public meeting to discuss the proposals and consultation.

Over 300 responses were received on a number of issues.  The responses were reviewed by the council's Cabinet Planning and Transportation Panel on 18 September 2008. A number of changes were made. The final versions were approved by the council's Cabinet on 7 October 2008.

A further consultation for roof alterations and energy efficiency measures such as solar panels and wind turbines across the Estate Management Scheme was undertaken in 2013. The approach for such alterations was approved by the Estate Management Scheme Panel:

• Estate Management Consent will only be granted for energy efficiency measures and other roof alterations where they are sited on the rear or side roof slope and are sited to minimise the effect on the external appearance of the building.

•  Estate Management Consent will only be granted if the proposed alteration, when viewed from any surrounding public vantage point does not have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the street scene and the wider amenities and values of the area.

•  Exceptions to this Policy approach will apply where, in the judgement of the case officer the architectural design and style of an individual property or the wider character of the area means that an alteration on a principal roof slope of a property would not have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the street scene and wider amenities and values of the area.

In all cases the decision maker will continue to weigh the environmental benefits of energy efficiency measures against the visual impact.