Home / Conservation areas / Durham County Council
North EastConservation areas in Durham County Council
92 conservation areas and 0 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Annfield Plain
Official record · ref. 2310
Rules & recordAycliffe Village
Designated 1981 · ref. 6043
Rules & recordBarnard Castle
Designated 1969 · ref. 5585
Rules & recordBarningham
Designated 1984 · ref. 5584
Rules & recordBeamish Burn
Designated 1994 · ref. 3724
Rules & recordBishop Auckland
Designated 1969 · ref. 9230
Rules & recordBishop Middleham
Official record · ref. 6044
Rules & recordBlackhill
Designated 1994 · ref. 3728
Rules & recordBolam
Designated 2010 · ref. 9662
Rules & recordBowburn
Designated 1979 · ref. 6084
Rules & recordBowes
Designated 1984 · ref. 5588
Rules & recordBrancepeth
Designated 1972 · ref. 6078
Rules & recordBrandon
Designated 1976 · ref. 6080
Rules & recordBrusselton
Designated 1993 · ref. 6055
Rules & recordBurnhall
Designated 1981 · ref. 6087
Rules & recordBurnopfield
Designated 1984 · ref. 3741
Rules & recordCastle Eden
Designated 1976 · ref. 3856
Rules & recordChester-le-Street
Designated 2003 · ref. 6047
Rules & recordCleatlam
Designated 1987 · ref. 5586
Rules & recordCockfield
Designated 2001 · ref. 5587
Rules & recordCockton Hill, Bishop Auckland
Designated 1993 · ref. 9231
Rules & recordCornforth
Designated 1993 · ref. 6057
Rules & recordCornsay
Designated 1994 · ref. 3832
Rules & recordCotherstone
Designated 1984 · ref. 5589
Rules & recordCowshill
Designated 1993 · ref. 9232
Rules & recordCrook
Designated 1975 · ref. 9233
Rules & recordDurham City
Designated 1968 · ref. 6077
Rules & recordEasington Village
Designated 1974 · ref. 3858
Rules & recordEast Blackdene
Designated 1993 · ref. 9234
Rules & recordEastgate
Designated 1993 · ref. 9235
Rules & recordEbchester
Designated 1972 · ref. 3834
Rules & recordEdmondbyers
Official record · ref. 9236
Rules & recordEggleston
Designated 1987 · ref. 5590
Rules & recordEsh
Designated 1975 · ref. 3835
Rules & recordFrosterley
Designated 1993 · ref. 9237
Rules & recordGainford
Designated 1971 · ref. 5591
Rules & recordGreta Bridge
Designated 1987 · ref. 5592
Rules & recordHardwick Park
Designated 1993 · ref. 6088
Rules & recordHawthorn
Designated 1974 · ref. 3861
Rules & recordHeadlam
Designated 1984 · ref. 5593
Rules & recordHett
Designated 1977 · ref. 6083
Rules & recordHilton
Designated 1984 · ref. 5594
Rules & recordHolywell
Designated 1981 · ref. 6090
Rules & recordHunstanworth
Designated 1993 · ref. 9239
Rules & recordHunwick
Designated 1990 · ref. 9240
Rules & recordIngleton
Designated 1987 · ref. 5595
Rules & recordIreshopeburn, Newhouse and West Blackdene
Official record · ref. 9241
Rules & recordIveston
Designated 1975 · ref. 3838
Rules & recordKirk Merrington
Designated 1993 · ref. 6129
Rules & recordLanchester
Designated 1972 · ref. 3841
Rules & recordLangton
Designated 1987 · ref. 5596
Rules & recordLartington
Official record · ref. 5597
Rules & recordLittle Newsham
Designated 1987 · ref. 5598
Rules & recordLow Westwood
Designated 1994 · ref. 3845
Rules & recordMainsforth
Designated 1993 · ref. 6130
Rules & recordMedomsley
Designated 1975 · ref. 3846
Rules & recordMickleton
Official record · ref. 5599
Rules & recordMiddleton-in-Teesdale
Designated 1973 · ref. 5600
Rules & recordMiddridge
Designated 1993 · ref. 6131
Rules & recordMordon
Designated 1993 · ref. 6132
Rules & recordMuggleswick
Official record · ref. 3847
Rules & recordNewbiggin
Designated 1987 · ref. 5601
Rules & recordOld Cassop
Designated 1981 · ref. 6091
Rules & recordPittington Hallgarth
Designated 1981 · ref. 6085
Rules & recordPlawsworth
Designated 2000 · ref. 6051
Rules & recordRomaldkirk
Designated 1984 · ref. 5602
Rules & recordSatley
Designated 1975 · ref. 3848
Rules & recordSeaham
Designated 1997 · ref. 3862
Rules & recordSedgefield
Designated 1971 · ref. 6138
Rules & recordShadforth
Designated 1976 · ref. 6081
Rules & recordSherburn
Designated 1979 · ref. 1095
Rules & recordSherburn House
Designated 1981 · ref. 6086
Rules & recordShildon
Designated 1993 · ref. 6144
Rules & recordShincliffe
Designated 1976 · ref. 6082
Rules & recordShotley Bridge
Designated 1975 · ref. 3849
Rules & recordSt John's Chapel
Designated 1993 · ref. 9242
Rules & recordStaindrop
Official record · ref. 5603
Rules & recordStanhope
Designated 1972 · ref. 9243
Rules & recordSunderland Bridge
Designated 1976 · ref. 6079
Rules & recordTanfield
Designated 1975 · ref. 3850
Rules & recordThornley
Designated 1993 · ref. 9244
Rules & recordTrimdon Village
Official record · ref. 6143
Rules & recordTudhoe
Designated 1993 · ref. 6142
Rules & recordWackerfield
Designated 1984 · ref. 5604
Rules & recordWearhead
Designated 1993 · ref. 9245
Rules & recordWest Auckland
Designated 1975 · ref. 9246
Rules & recordWestgate
Designated 1993 · ref. 9248
Rules & recordWhitworth
Designated 1993 · ref. 6167
Rules & recordWhorlton
Designated 1972 · ref. 5605
Rules & recordWindlestone
Designated 1993 · ref. 6168
Rules & recordWitton-le-Wear
Designated 1972 · ref. 9249
Rules & recordWolsingham
Designated 1975 · ref. 9250
Rules & recordWhat a conservation area changes
Extensions
Side extensions, and rear extensions of more than one storey, are not permitted development — they need planning permission. Single-storey rear extensions keep their normal limits, but the Larger Home Extension prior-approval route is not available.
Lofts and roofs
Roof extensions such as dormers are not permitted development. Rooflights are usually fine if they don't project more than 15 cm.
Cladding
Cladding the outside of a house in stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles needs planning permission.
Outbuildings
Garden rooms, sheds and other outbuildings to the side of the house need planning permission.
Demolition
Demolishing a building larger than 115 m³ needs planning permission. Taking down a wall, gate or fence over 1 m high next to a road (or 2 m elsewhere) also needs permission.
Trees
You must give the council six weeks' notice before cutting down or pruning most trees (trunk over 7.5 cm across at 1.5 m high), even if they are not protected by a tree preservation order.
Article 4 directions
Councils can remove more permitted development rights — for example for windows, doors, porches or front boundaries — with an Article 4 direction. Check the council's list below.
Conservation area and Article 4 data: planning.data.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always confirm boundaries and rules with the council before starting work. General information, not legal advice.