What needs planning permission in a conservation area

Existing buildings and their details should remain. If demolition is necessary, planning permission is required if:

• a building with a volume of more than 115m3 in size, including any previous demolition
• a fence, wall or railing higher than 1 m where it adjoins a road, footpath, waterway or open space, or 2m elsewhere
• more than 10% or 500m3 of an industrial building (previous demolitions count towards this)

Planning applications which involve the substantial or total demolition of a house or building in a conservation area will be refused unless it can be shown that its loss, and any harm to the character of the conservation area, is outweighed by the significant public benefit of the development.

For a house

• when repairing and maintaining the original windows or doors – planning permission is not required
• when replacing windows or doors – if the new windows or doors are very similar to the existing based on the guidance given above, these are permitted development
• if you are unsure that the new windows are sufficiently similar to the original, we recommend you apply for a certificate of lawful development. Please check our validation checklists for more information.

For a flat

• when repairing or maintaining the original windows or doors – planning permission is not required.
• when replacing windows or doors – you will need to apply for full planning permission (permitted development rights do not apply).

Roof-lights are permitted development, if they:

• do not extend more than 150 mm above the slope of the original roof
• are not higher than the ridgeline of the original roof.

There are additional points on side roof slopes, including:

• the glass being frosted
• window is non-opening where it is less than 1.7 metres above the floor level.

If the house is a listed building and you comply with the above requirements, a listed building consent is required but not householder planning permission. If the property is a flat, the permitted development does not apply, and you will need full planning permission.

In a conservation area, dormer windows on all roof slopes require planning permission. Dormers on rear roof slopes may be acceptable if the impact on the street is limited. On front roof slopes, they may be only acceptable where dormer windows are an original feature of the house or in streets where there is a large number of front dormers, which have materially altered the visual appearance of the street.

Roof extensions in conservation areas require planning permission. 

You will need planning permission if you intend to:

• clad any part of the exterior with, for example, stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles
• extend beyond a wall forming a side or front elevation of the original house
• extend at the rear by more than one storey
• extend with a veranda or balcony
• enlarge the house upwards immediately above the topmost storey by the construction of additional storeys

Where this is not the case, you may be able to extend or alter the house as long as it complies with the following requirements:

• it is single storey, being less than a maximum of 4 metres high or where within 2 metres of a boundary has a maximum eaves height of 3 metres
• site coverage - the total area of ground covered will not exceed 50% of the area remaining, after excluding all other buildings on the site.

New basements, extensions to existing basements and associated works such as light wells require planning permission.

Planning application is not required for outbuildings, whether they are proposed to be permanent or temporary, this includes sheds, shelters, greenhouses, garages, swimming pools, ponds, saunas, tennis courts, kennels, and summer houses.

Please consider:

• the location is not at the side or front of the property
• the height is less than 4 metres (2.5 m to the eaves) where having a pitched roof, 3 metres for a flat roof or where within 2 metres of any boundary, less than 2.5 metres
• the area covered is no more than half (50%) the area of the land around the house. You must include all other buildings, structures and extensions before calculating the area.
• is not a veranda or balcony. If decking, is not more than 300 mm high
• must be ancillary to the use of the house. It cannot be a separate self-contained dwelling.

Where the property is a listed building, the permitted development rights under GPDO do not apply and planning permission and listed building consent are required for any new outbuildings. If the property is a flat, the GPDO does not apply, and full planning permission is required. 

If you want to put up a new boundary wall, fence, railings or gate that is over one metre high and it is next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); or over 2 metres high elsewhere you will need planning permission.

This applies to houses in and outside of conservation areas. 

The repainting of an exterior wall that is already painted does not require planning permission. The exception being if the repainting of the property is covered by an Article (4) Direction.

Solar panels can be installed on a house or flat, or on a building within the curtilage, under the GPDO where they:

• panels must not be fitted to a wall which fronts a highway
• panels should not be installed above the highest part of the roof (excluding the chimney) and should project no more than 200 mm from the roof slope or wall surface.

For more information please visit out solar panels page. 

For houses, or flats in buildings less than 15 metres high, flue, chimney, satellite dishes and antennas are permitted development where they are not:

• visible from the road
• located above the ridge of the roof
• located on a chimney.

For satellite dishes, a maximum of two are allowed, but their size is limited – one no bigger than 1 metre and the other 600 mm.

If your proposal exceeds these requirements planning permission is required. Where the house or building is listed and the above requirements are met, a listed building consent is required, but not planning permission.

Altering or replacing a chimney, flue or soil vent pipe on a wall or roof slope which fronts a highway and is part of the main or side elevation of the house will require planning permission.

An air source heat pump does not require planning permission unless it is on a wall or roof fronting the highway, or in the curtilage and closer to the highway than the house.

Insulation which also preserves the character or appearance a building in a conservation area is encouraged. Loft or internal wall insulation does not require planning permission. External wall insulation may suit some buildings but may harm the appearance of others - for instance, of a house that is part of a terrace, and does require planning permission.

Certain advertisements and signs, for instance illuminated signs, will require advertisement consent. In general signage on a residential property should be limited to a naming plate or numbering.

New or altered signage on a listed building will always require Listed Building Consent and may also require Advertisement Consent. The appearance of a listed building can be harmed by inappropriate signage. However, carefully designed signage can enhance a building.

Generally, you don’t need planning permission to prune or remove a tree unless it is in a conservation area.

See more information about trees and tree preservation orders.

Some trees may be required to be retained by a condition on an implemented planning permission at the property. These would be detailed on applicable decision notices. Check Public Access for previous decisions. 

For non-residential development in a conservation area, you need permission for:

• extensions in materials that would not have a similar appearance to that of the original building
• extensions or additional buildings above a certain size, or (in the case of a shop) within 2 metres of the boundary
• alterations to existing shops or offices
• the erection of collection facilities or modifications to loading bays within the boundary of a shop
• developments at waste management facilities
• industrial building extensions need planning permission if the building is to be extended by more than 10% of its original size.