Planning Applications

 

Notice of Construction Elm Gardens, 1924

[HALS: Ref UDC21]

 

Description of materials

[HALS: Ref UDC21]

 

Plan and elevation for new houses in Valley Road, March 1920

[HALS: Ref UDC21]

Anyone wishing to build, or alter, a house has to submit a planning application to the local authority for permission to do so.  This was the situation in 1919 at the very beginning of the garden city just as it is today.  HALS holds thousands of these applications dating from 1919 right up to 1972.   An envelope holds the documents relating to each individual application.  The packet of documents can contain the initial ‘Notice of Construction’ which will give the date and sometimes the name of the builder or the person commissioning the building; a ‘Description of Materials’ which will show how the house was to be constructed and give the name of the architect; and of course plans.  Sometimes these are highly coloured and name all the rooms of the house and give the size of each one.  However sadly not all of the packets contain plans.  These are gradually being fully catalogued by HALS so if you wish to know whether we have something relating to your address please telephone HALS and the staff will check for you.