Home / Conservation areas / Medway Council
South EastConservation areas in Medway Council
24 conservation areas and 47 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Brompton Lines
Designated 1981 · ref. 7
Rules & recordChatham Historic Dockyard
Designated 1999 · ref. 25
Rules & recordCliffe
Designated 1973 · ref. 3
Rules & recordFrindsbury and Manor Farm
Designated 1996 · ref. 24
Rules & recordGillingham Green
Designated 1990 · ref. 15
Rules & recordGillingham Park
Designated 1990 · ref. 9
Rules & recordHalling
Designated 1995 · ref. 21
Rules & recordHistoric Rochester
Designated 1972 · ref. 5
Rules & recordLower Rainham
Designated 1989 · ref. 10
Rules & recordLower Twydall
Designated 1984 · ref. 8
Rules & recordMaidstone Road, Chatham
Designated 2004 · ref. 26
Rules & recordMeresborough
Designated 1989 · ref. 11
Rules & recordMoor Street
Designated 1989 · ref. 12
Rules & recordNew Road, Chatham
Designated 1972 · ref. 2
Rules & recordNew Road, Rochester
Designated 1995 · ref. 22
Rules & recordPembroke
Designated 1989 · ref. 13
Rules & recordRailway Street, Gillingham
Designated 1989 · ref. 14
Rules & recordRainham
Designated 1977 · ref. 6
Rules & recordSt Mary Hoo
Designated 1994 · ref. 19
Rules & recordStar Hill to Sun Pier
Designated 1994 · ref. 23
Rules & recordStar Hill, Rochester
Designated 1974 · ref. 4
Rules & recordUpnor
Designated 1970 · ref. 1
Rules & recordUpper Bush
Designated 1994 · ref. 20
Rules & recordWatts Avenue/Roebuck Road
Designated 1994 · ref. 18
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 Medway 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.
- Brompton Lines(1)
- Brompton Lines(2)
- Chatham Central & Brompton
- Fort Pitt
- Gillingham North
- Gillingham Park
- Gillingham South
- Historic Rochester(1)
- Historic Rochester(10)
- Historic Rochester(11)
- Historic Rochester(12)
- Historic Rochester(13)
- Historic Rochester(14)
- Historic Rochester(2)
- Historic Rochester(3)
- Historic Rochester(4)
- Historic Rochester(5)
- Historic Rochester(6)
- Historic Rochester(7)
- Historic Rochester(8)
- Historic Rochester(9)
- LAND BETWEEN ELMHAVEN MARINA AND CEMEX
- Luton
- Maidstone Road, Chatham
- New Road Chatham(1)
- New Road Chatham(2)
- New Road Chatham(3)
- New Road Chatham(4)
- Star Hill to Sun Pier
- Strood North & Frindsbury
- Upper Bush (1)
- Upper Bush (2)
- Upper Bush(3)
- Upper Bush(4)
- Upper Upnor(1)
- Upper Upnor(10)
- Upper Upnor(11)
- Upper Upnor(2)
- Upper Upnor(3)
- Upper Upnor(4)
- Upper Upnor(5)
- Upper Upnor(6)
- Upper Upnor(7)
- Upper Upnor(8)
- Upper Upnor(9)
- Watling
- Watts Avenue
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.