Planning Consultants in Stevenage
Stevenage was Britain's first post-war New Town and is now a hub for life sciences, with GSK and the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst. The town centre is being regenerated, and the Local Plan Partial Update, adopted in July 2026, plans for around 7,600 new homes.
Common in Stevenage
Local planning authority: Stevenage Borough Council
Town Planning Consultants in Stevenage
We advise homeowners, landowners, developers and businesses across Stevenage, including the town centre, Old Town, Gunnels Wood, Bedwell, Broadwater, Chells, Great Ashby, Pin Green, Shephall and Symonds Green.
Stevenage Borough Council adopted its Local Plan Partial Update on 22 July 2026, updating the 2019 Local Plan. It plans for around 7,600 new homes alongside jobs and community facilities, and the council expects to start work on a full new plan soon. Hertfordshire's councils are due to be reorganised, although the Government put its July 2026 decision under review in September 2026.
Most of Stevenage is built up, so our work focuses on town centre regeneration, conversions, changes of use, new homes on allocated sites and employment proposals in Gunnels Wood, where life sciences companies are expanding. The Old Town is a conservation area, and the town's New Town neighbourhood structure and open spaces are protected by policy.
Planning Services in Stevenage
Urban Vista Planning provides the full range of planning consultancy services to clients across Stevenage — from homeowners and landowners to developers and businesses. Our Chartered Town Planners are MRTPI-accredited and experienced in dealing with the planning authorities operating in Stevenage.
- Planning permission applications
- Pre-application advice
- Planning appeals
- Permitted development assessments
- Lawful Development Certificates
- Change of use applications
- Heritage and listed building consent
- Ecology & Biodiversity Net Gain
- Highways and transport assessments
- Infrastructure consenting
- Equestrian and rural planning
- Discharge of planning conditions
Why Urban Vista Planning?
MRTPI & MCIHT Accredited
Our Chartered Town Planners and specialist associates are accredited and regulated by their professional bodies, including the RTPI and CIHT.
UK-Wide Coverage
We advise clients across England and Wales, including Stevenage, from our offices in Taplow (Buckinghamshire), Leeds, and Hereford.
Free Initial Consultation
We provide an honest initial view of your project — what is achievable, the best consenting route, and likely timescales — at no charge.
Full-Service Consultancy
We manage the entire planning process: application preparation, specialist coordination, authority engagement, and conditions discharge.
Key Planning Constraints in Stevenage
These designations and policy issues shape what can be built in Stevenage. Identifying them early is the single most effective way to avoid delay, invalid applications and refusal.
Town centre regeneration
The Local Plan Partial Update guides the major redevelopment of Stevenage town centre.
Employment land
Gunnels Wood is the borough's main employment area, home to life sciences and advanced manufacturing, and is protected for employment uses.
Old Town Conservation Area
The historic High Street and its surroundings are protected.
Green Belt edge
Small areas of Green Belt lie at the edges of the borough.
Infrastructure & Energy Planning in Stevenage
Stevenage is a growing life sciences cluster, with GSK and the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst in Gunnels Wood, on the A1(M) and East Coast Main Line. Laboratory, manufacturing and energy proposals raise power supply and transport questions. We advise on life sciences, energy and transport consenting.
Planning in Stevenage: FAQs
Which council deals with planning applications in Stevenage?
Planning applications in Stevenage are determined by the local planning authority for the site — Stevenage Borough Council.
What are the main planning constraints in Stevenage?
Key constraints in Stevenage include Town centre regeneration; Employment land; Old Town Conservation Area; Green Belt edge. We identify which apply to your site at the outset so they can be addressed in the application rather than discovered during determination.
Do you advise on infrastructure and energy projects in Stevenage?
Stevenage is a growing life sciences cluster, with GSK and the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst in Gunnels Wood, on the A1(M) and East Coast Main Line. Laboratory, manufacturing and energy proposals raise power supply and transport questions. We advise on life sciences, energy and transport consenting.
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Need a Planning Consultant in Stevenage?
Book a free initial consultation — we will give you a clear view of your options and the best route forward.