Home / Conservation areas / Fenland District Council
East of EnglandConservation areas in Fenland District Council
13 conservation areas and 3 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Bowthorpe
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1360
Rules & recordChatteris
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1250
Rules & recordCoates
Designated 2020 · ref. CONARA/1260
Rules & recordDoddington (ref. 5172)
Official record · ref. 5172
Rules & recordDoddington (ref. CONARA/1270)
Designated 2011 · ref. CONARA/1270
Rules & recordElm
Designated 1976 · ref. CONARA/1280
Rules & recordLeverington 1
Designated 2011 · ref. CONARA/1290
Rules & recordLeverington 2
Designated 2011 · ref. CONARA/1300
Rules & recordMarch
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1310
Rules & recordParson Drove
Designated 1972 · ref. CONARA/1320
Rules & recordWhittlesey 1
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1330
Rules & recordWhittlesey 2
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1340
Rules & recordWisbech
Designated 2009 · ref. CONARA/1350
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 Fenland District 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.
- Household Extensions and Alterations in Wisbech and Bowthorpe Conservation Areas (28 January 2002)
- Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Wisbech (26 February 2026)
- Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Wisbech (26 February 2025)
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.