Below are five plans proposed around Hertfordshire, including flats and a new restaurant. 

Planning applications are often very controversial, and people need the chance to share their views, but they need to know about them first.

Here are some that might have gone under the radar.

1. Greek restaurant in Stevenage 

The Comet: Planning applications have been submitted for a new Greek restaurant to open in Stevenage town centre.Planning applications have been submitted for a new Greek restaurant to open in Stevenage town centre. (Image: Gopika Madhu/Newsquest)

A planning application has been submitted for a new Greek restaurant to open in Stevenage town centre.

According to documents submitted to Stevenage Borough Council, the planned restaurant would be called 'Pitta Hub' and located on Queensway, next to Noodle Stop.

You can find the full story here.

2. Life sciences campus in Stevenage

The Comet: Plans for a life sciences campus on the GlaxoSmithKline site in Stevenage have been submitted to the local authority.Plans for a life sciences campus on the GlaxoSmithKline site in Stevenage have been submitted to the local authority. (Image: GSK)

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) first announced plans for a 33-acre campus next to its main research and development site on Gunnels Wood Road in 2021.

The application details a life sciences campus which will provide state-of-the-art laboratory and associated facilities across 15 buildings, along with two extensions to the existing GSK campus.

You can find the full story here.

3. Nine apartments in Digswell

The Comet: Plans for a life sciences campus on the GlaxoSmithKline site in Stevenage have been submitted to the local authority.Plans for a life sciences campus on the GlaxoSmithKline site in Stevenage have been submitted to the local authority. (Image: Google Street View)

The plans would bring a detached two-storey building with accommodation at the lower ground level comprising of nine apartments, with associated bin and cycle storage and car parking provision.

This would take place following the demolition of the existing house.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Terry Mitchinson objected to application and said: "New Road is an iconic landmark area of Digswell and the entire borough. Already its character has been irreversibly damaged by ongoing and previously allowed developments." 

You can read the full story here.

4. 721 new homes near St Albans

The Comet: How new homes South of Chiswell Green Lane, near St Albans, could look.How new homes South of Chiswell Green Lane, near St Albans, could look. (Image: McBains/CALA/Redington Capital/St Albans City and District Council)

An inquiry into plans for up to 721 new homes South of Chiswell Green Lane, near St Albans, came to an end on Tuesday, May 9.

The government’s Planning Inspectorate will now consider whether developers can press ahead with plans for the new homes both sides of Chiswell Green Lane.

St Albans City and District Council has previously rejected the proposals, which were put forward in separate planning applications – for up to 330 homes north of the road, and up to 391 to the south.

The council’s barrister and campaign group Keep Chiswell Green warned in their closing statements that approving the proposal would help achieve the “death of the Green Belt by 1,000 cuts”.

You can read the full story here.

5. Former NatWest Bank turned into flats

The Comet: Plans submitted to turn former NatWest Bank into flats.Plans submitted to turn former NatWest Bank into flats. (Image: Gopika Madhu)

The plans seek to change part of the ground floor use from Commercial, Business and Service (Class E), into living accommodation (Class C).  

Proposals also look to make alterations and extensions to the building to make way for one ground floor and three first floor flats, along with associated amenity space, parking, bins and bike storage.

NatWest in Hatfield shut its doors at the end of 2019 and the unit has been vacant since.

You can read the full story here.