Home / Conservation areas / Harlow District Council
East of EnglandConservation areas in Harlow District Council
10 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
Churchgate Street
Designated 2025 · ref. HAR_CA1
Rules & recordHarlow Garden Village Estate
Designated 2013 · ref. HAR_CA2
Rules & recordHarlow Mill and Old Road North
Designated 1998 · ref. HAR_CA3
Rules & recordHarlowbury
Designated 1994 · ref. HAR_CA4
Rules & recordMark Hall North
Designated 2022 · ref. HAR_CA5
Rules & recordNetteswellbury
Designated 1986 · ref. HAR_CA6
Rules & recordOld Harlow
Designated 1994 · ref. HAR_CA7
Rules & recordPuffers Green
Designated 1995 · ref. HAR_CA8
Rules & recordTown Park Netteswell Cross
Designated 1993 · ref. HAR_CA9
Rules & recordTye Green
Designated 1999 · ref. HAR_CA10
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 Harlow 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.
- 1 to 56 Morley Grove (1 July 2013)
- 57 to 99 Morley Grove (1 July 2013)
- Churchgate Street (4 March 2026)
- Field House and Goodman House (Burnt Mill Industrial Estate) (19 October 2022)
- High Street- 79-97 (odds) (27 February 2017)
- HMO - townwide (12 April 2021)
- Mark Hall North (Mark Hall North Conservation Area) (28 October 2023)
- Old Harlow - St John's Avenue (1 June 2012)
- Old Harlow (Bury Road, New Road, High Street and Old Road) (1 June 2012)
- Park Hill and Mulberry Terrace (1 June 2012)
- Pinnacles Employment Area (19 October 2022)
- Templefields Employnment Area (19 October 2022)
- Templefields North East (Cambridge House and Superior House) (19 October 2022)
- Town Centre (19 October 2022)
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.