What is an Article 4 Direction?

An Article 4 Direction removes permitted development rights and requires a planning application to be submitted.

Article 4 Directions are a means by which a local planning authority can bring within planning control certain types of development, or changes of use, which would normally be ‘permitted development’ (i.e. not require an application for planning permission).

The new national policy for Article 4 directions raises the threshold where they relate to the change from non-residential to residential, they should be limited to situations only where an Article 4 direction is necessary to avoid wholly unacceptable advice impacts and must apply to the smallest geographical area possible. The Borough Council anticipated that the Article 4 Direction would come into force on 1 October 2022. Due to the new national policy threshold, the Article 4 Direction was confirmed on 16 December 2022.

Article 4 Directions relating to Gunnels Wood and Pin Green Employment areas

We have made two non-immediate Article 4 Directions, which remove permitted development rights for changes of use from E(g)(i) office and E(g)(iii) light industrial to C3 (residential).

The Article 4 Directions were made on 14 July 2022 and were confirmed on 16 December 2022.

The Direction for Class E(g)(i) office and E(g)(iii) light industrial) to Class C3 (residential) for those areas currently exempt came into force on 16 December 2022.

The two Article 4 Directions, confirmed on 16 December 2022, replace the two Directions below which came into force on 15 June 2018.   The third Article 4 Direction, relating to HMOs, remains in force.

The Direction for Class B1c (light industrial) to Class C3 (residential) came into force on 15 June 2018.

Article 4 Direction: relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

We have made a non-immediate Article 4 Direction, which removes permitted development rights for changes of use from C3 (residential) to C4 (HMO). The Article 4 direction was made on 19 September 2016 and was confirmed on 24 May 2017. The Direction will come into force on 20 September 2017.

Copies of the Directions can also be viewed at our offices in Danestrete, Stevenage Central Library at Southgate and the Old Town Library at 38 High Street.