We have compiled lots your common questions related to CON29 and local land charges searches to help you navigate the systems used.
Please check which council the property is within as we can only deal with enquiries for within Bedford Borough (and not Central Bedfordshire or Luton councils).
Please use find your local council to check that your search area belongs to us.
Go to www.bedford.gov.uk/searchplans and see each section below for detailed information. Refer to the how-to guides for further help and guidance.
Planning documents are stored online, listed by their planning reference only:
The “Authority reference” is our internal reference, not the planning reference, and you cannot use it to find the documents online. Find out more in the section: “How do I find a S106 agreement online.”
Several documents may have been combined, so open, scroll all the way down, and check.
Click ‘View decision notices and S106 documents 1948-2025.” The documents are stored in year and number order, from 1948 – to date.
With applications like BC/CC/2009/3, BC was a council identifier for the former Bedfordshire County Council. Click on the link “View Bedfordshire County Council applications.”
A section 106 agreement is issued as part of a planning application. It is stored with those decision notices by their planning application reference number, under “View decision notices and S106 documents 1948-2025.”
The “Authority reference” for s 106 agreements is an internal LLC reference, not the planning reference, and you cannot use it to find the documents online. The “Description” might say what the planning reference is. Otherwise, it will be one of the planning permissions on the search results.
For the example below, the planning reference is 23/01120/FUL.
Example on the search results:
Authority reference: 62/24-23/01120/FUL
Description:
Planning obligation dated 12/03/2024 made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Regulating or restricting the use of land at 2 Spring Road Kempston
Planning permission: 23/01120/FUL
Contact Local Land Charges who will be able to assist, email: Local.LandCharges@bedford.gov.uk .
For section 106 compliance, discharge, or any other information requests, go to www.bedford.gov.uk/s106agreements and click “Planning obligations (Section 106) information request.” There is a fee applicable for this service.
Planning applications before 1974 were determined by different councils. Refer to Guide 4 for help with viewing the decision notices online.
This is a self-service task online. Go to the Public Access planning system and type in the original planning application reference number you wish to check the conditions have been discharged on, e.g., 00/01362/FUL.
An application for approval of a condition will follow a format like “01/00785/AOC.” For further help, see Guide 1, p. 3.
Email planning@bedford.gov.uk with your request. You must identify the planning application reference number(s).
You can find the fees at www.bedford.gov.uk/planningformsinfo. Our response time is a minimum of eight weeks.
For older enforcement notices from 1957, click “Enforcement notices 1957-2017.” Guidance is provided.
For more recent enforcement notices, go to the link “View and comment on planning applications” at the top of the page. Refer to Guide 7 for assistance.
Appeal decisions are available on the Planning Inspectorate website.
You can also go to www.bedford.gov.uk/searchplans and the link “View and comment on planning applications.” You can search them by our appeal reference, the relevant application reference, or enforcement reference.
Go to the section “View other planning documentation” and click on the link for the tree preservation orders. Each document is stored within the village/town it relates to. Refer to Guide 8 for assistance.
Go to our Article 4 directions webpage.
Go to the Public Access planning system and type in the original planning application reference number, eg 24/01658/FUL.
To view the application documents and correspondence, click on the “Documents” tab and then on the “View associated documents” link.
See Guide 1 and Guide 1a for assistance.
Go to www.bedford.gov.uk/CIL for more detailed information.
To contact Planning Services, you can call 01234 718068 or email planning@bedford.gov.uk.
Copies of Highways Act 1980 section 38, Highways Act 1980 section 278, Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 section 33 can be obtained at an additional cost.
If this service is required, go to our road adoptions and private roads webpage and click “Apply for a Section 38 / 278 / 33 agreement” at the bottom of the page.
Email: deeds.registry@bedford.gov.uk.
Please go to our building control webpages. You can also phone 01234 718081 or email: buildingcontrol@bedford.gov.uk.
This is managed by Anglian Water. Please see the request of copy of agreement section on its website.
You can also phone: 03456 066 087 (option 2) or email drainage@anglianwater.co.uk .
