Home / Conservation areas / Rossendale Borough Council
North WestConservation areas in Rossendale Borough Council
11 conservation areas and 7 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Bacup Town Centre Conservation Area
Designated 2016 · ref. CA06
Rules & recordChatterton/Strongstry Conservation Area
Designated 1975 · ref. CA04
Rules & recordCloughfold Conservation Area
Designated 1974 · ref. CA02
Rules & recordFallbarn Conservation Area
Designated 2007 · ref. CA09
Rules & recordGoodshawfold Conservation Area
Designated 1978 · ref. CA05
Rules & recordHaslingden Conservation Area
Designated 2018 · ref. CA10
Rules & recordIrwell Vale Conservation Area
Designated 1974 · ref. CA03
Rules & recordLoveclough Fold Conservation Area
Designated 1986 · ref. CA07
Rules & recordRawtenstall Conservation Area
Designated 1990 · ref. CA08
Rules & recordWaterfoot Conservation Area
Designated 2026 · ref. CA11
Rules & recordWhitworth Square Conservation Area
Designated 1974 · ref. CA01
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 Rossendale Borough 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.
- Bacup Town Centre Conservation Area (16 October 1992)
- Chatterton and Strongstry Conservation Area (4 October 1983)
- Immediate Article 4 Direction for small Houses in Multiple Occupation (19 September 2025)
- Land at Fox Hill Farm, Shawclough, Waterfoot (15 April 1991)
- Land at Higher Tunstead Farm, Stacksteads (31 October 1988)
- Land at Leabrook Poultry Farm (formerly known as Collinge Fold Farm) off Collinge Fold Lane, Rawtenstall, Rossendale (23 September 1991)
- Land within and abutting Irwell Vale Conservation Area (18 February 1985)
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.