Am I in a Conservation Area? Check Your Address
Enter your postcode or street to see whether your home is in a conservation area. It uses official planning data for Croydon, Bromley, Surrey and the rest of England.
What a conservation area means for your roof
A conservation area is a place the council has decided has special architectural or historic character worth protecting. Roofs are a big part of that character, so the rules for roof work are a little tighter than elsewhere.
- Like-for-like repairs and re-roofs in matching materials usually don't need planning permission.
- Changing the material, for example from natural slate to concrete tiles, may need permission, and the council will often expect traditional materials.
- Dormers and roof extensions aren't covered by permitted development in a conservation area, so they need a planning application.
- Roof lights are often allowed if they sit almost flush with the slope, unless an Article 4 direction applies.
Our guide to planning permission for a new roof covers the rules in more detail, including listed buildings, flats and building regulations.
Article 4 directions
Councils can make an Article 4 direction to remove permitted development rights in part or all of a conservation area. Where one applies, even small changes to the front of the house, such as new roof materials or a roof light on the front slope, can need a planning application. Not every council publishes its Article 4 directions to the national dataset this checker uses, so if your home is in a conservation area, check with the council too.
Conservation areas in Croydon
Croydon Council lists 21 conservation areas, including Central Croydon, the Norbury Estate, the Webb Estate, South Norwood, Addington Village and Kenley Aerodrome. Article 4 directions cover the Chatsworth Road, The Waldrons and Kenley Aerodrome conservation areas, so even small roof changes there may need permission. You can see the full list on Croydon Council's conservation areas page. We carry out roof installations across Croydon, including like-for-like slate and tile roofs in conservation areas.
Conservation areas in Bromley and Beckenham
Bromley has dozens of conservation areas, including Bromley Town Centre, Chislehurst, Beckenham Town Centre, Park Langley, Shortlands, Elm Road and Southend Road in Beckenham, and the villages of Downe, Keston and Farnborough. Many cover Victorian and Edwardian streets with original slate and clay tile roofs. See Bromley Council's conservation areas page for maps, and our roofing pages for Bromley and Beckenham for the work we do there.
Conservation areas in Surrey and Sutton
Across the Surrey side of our area, conservation areas include Carshalton Village, Cheam Village, Sutton Garden Suburb and Wallington Green in Sutton; Ewell Village, Epsom Town Centre, Pikes Hill and Worple Road in Epsom and Ewell; and Reigate Town Centre, Banstead, Merstham Village and Walton on the Hill in Reigate and Banstead. Several of these have Article 4 directions. See Epsom & Ewell and Reigate & Banstead councils for details, and our Surrey roofing page for the areas we cover.
Is my house listed?
Listing is separate from conservation areas. A listed building needs listed building consent for almost any change to its roof, including re-roofing in different materials, and doing the work without consent is a criminal offence. Search the National Heritage List for England to check.
If you're in a conservation area, Connor can advise on materials and flag anything that needs the council's approval at your free survey. We also handle chimney repairs, which often need matching brick and pots in conservation areas.
Conservation Area Questions
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Enter your postcode or street above. The checker looks up your address in the government's national planning data. You can also check your council's conservation area map, and if you bought recently, your property searches should mention it.
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Yes. Replacing a roof like for like, in matching materials, usually doesn't need planning permission even in a conservation area. Changing the material, changing the shape of the roof, or adding dormers is where permission may be needed, especially if an Article 4 direction applies.
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Often not, as long as they don't stick out more than 150mm from the roof slope. But an Article 4 direction can remove that right, especially for roof slopes facing the road, so check with your council before ordering them.
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An Article 4 direction is a rule a council makes to remove some permitted development rights in a particular area. Where one applies, changes that would normally be allowed without permission, such as swapping slate for concrete tiles or adding a front roof light, may need a planning application.
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No. It uses the government's national planning data, which councils update at different times, and not every council publishes its Article 4 directions to it. Treat the result as a strong first check, and confirm with your council before starting visible work.
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Read the guidesPlanning Roof Work in a Conservation Area?
Connor will look at your roof, tell you honestly what it needs, and give you a written quote within 24 to 48 hours. The survey is free.