WODC charges

Tue 16 Jul, 12:55 (last edited on Tue 16 Jul, 12:57)

Having been down this rabbit hole in the past myself, yes, so far we don't have Article 4s (other than the one Richard mentions), and there are some PD rights still allowed in Conservation Areas/AONBs, though by no means all. This link has been helpful – behind a paywall, but the relevant section is pasted here:

Permitted Development in Conservation Areas

Permitted Development (PD) rights still exist in Conservation Areas but are curtailed in some instances (but probably not by as much as you might think). Here is a summary of the key rules:

Extensions: In a Conservation Area, you will need to apply for planning permission for any extension other than a single storey rear extension of no more than 3m (or 4m if the house is detached).

Side extensions and two storey extensions – some of which are permissible under PD rights in other areas – are all excluded from PD rights in a Conservation Area.

Recladding: If you live in a Conservation Area you will need to apply for planning permission before cladding the outside of your house with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles.

Windows: This is a bit of a grey area, but unless your Conservation Area home is subject to an Article 4 Direction removing Permitted Development rights, you can in theory replace your existing windows with the insertion of new windows and doors that are of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the house. Simply put, the rules in a Conservation Area are the same as those in a regular non-designated area, so you will still need permission for a radically different window scheme (including new openings).

Outbuildings: Conservation Area homeowners have the same PD rights as those of regular homeowners with the exception of the ability to erect an outbuilding to the side of the house. Other regular PD rights prohibit outbuildings to the front of the property, height restrictions particularly near boundaries, and that they shouldn’t cover more than half of the area of land around the house.

Solar panels: A highly controversial area of late, but the latest is that if you’re in a Conservation Area you won’t need planning approval for a solar panel unless the solar panel is wall-mounted (i.e. not on your roof) on a wall facing the highway. So, if you’ve got a south-facing house in a Conservation Area, you can pop panels on your roof providing certain limitations are met.

(So with the sheds, it will depend on proximity to the boundary and the height. More info on standard shed PD here and here.)