Home / Conservation areas / Exeter City Council
South WestConservation areas in Exeter City Council
20 conservation areas and 14 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Alphin Brook
Designated 2009 · ref. CA01
Rules & recordAlphington
Designated 2005 · ref. CA02
Rules & recordBelmont
Designated 2007 · ref. CA03
Rules & recordCentral
Designated 1992 · ref. CA04
Rules & recordCowick Street
Designated 2004 · ref. CA05
Rules & recordExwick
Designated 2006 · ref. CA06
Rules & recordHeavitree
Designated 2009 · ref. CA07
Rules & recordLongbrook
Designated 2004 · ref. CA08
Rules & recordLower Summerlands
Designated 2008 · ref. CA09
Rules & recordMidway Terrace and Ide Lane
Designated 2005 · ref. CA10
Rules & recordMont Le Grand
Designated 2009 · ref. CA11
Rules & recordPennsylvania
Designated 2007 · ref. CA12
Rules & recordPrinces Square
Designated 2007 · ref. CA13
Rules & recordRiverside
Designated 2005 · ref. CA14
Rules & recordSouthernhay and The Friars
Designated 1993 · ref. CA15
Rules & recordSt Leonards
Designated 1978 · ref. CA16
Rules & recordSt Sidwells
Designated 2007 · ref. CA17
Rules & recordSt. David's
Designated 2004 · ref. CA18
Rules & recordTaddyforde
Designated 2007 · ref. CA19
Rules & recordTopsham
Designated 1989 · ref. CA20
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.
Article 4 directions in Exeter City Council
These remove some permitted development rights in the areas they cover — check whether one applies to your property before you rely on permitted development.
- 2023 Article 4 Direction (23 December 2024)
- Land Adjacent to St Davids Station, Bonhay Road (1 November 2006)
- Land at Duryard (15 March 1981)
- Land at Junction of Belmont Road and Western Way (1 November 2006)
- Land at Sidwell Street (1 November 2006)
- Land at the Exebridge Centre Car Park (1 November 2006)
- Land at the Junction of Leypark Road and Hill Barton Road (1 November 2006)
- Land at the Junction of Prince Charles Road and Stoke Hill (1 November 2006)
- Land at the Strand, Topsham (23 April 1958)
- Land North of Exwick Lane (16 October 2007)
- Midway Terrace and Ide Lane, Alphington (20 March 2006)
- Riverside Pastures, Stoke Road (15 December 2004)
- St Leonard's Church Hall (15 February 2018)
- The Crawford Hotel (6 November 2012)
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.