Home / Conservation areas / Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
North WestConservation areas in Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
25 conservation areas and 6 Article 4 directions on the official register. If your property is in one, extensions, lofts, cladding, outbuildings and demolition follow stricter rules.
Conservation areas
Birkdale Park Conservation Area
Designated 2008 · ref. CA1
Rules & recordBirkdale Village Conservation Area
Designated 2011 · ref. CA2
Rules & recordBlundellsands Park Conservation Area
Designated 2008 · ref. CA3
Rules & recordCarr Houses Conservation Area
Designated 2024 · ref. CA4
Rules & recordChrist Church Conservation Area
Designated 2016 · ref. CA5
Rules & recordChurchtown Conservation Area
Designated 2009 · ref. CA6
Rules & recordCrosby Hall Conservation Area
Designated 1985 · ref. CA7
Rules & recordDamfield Lane Conservation Area
Designated 2024 · ref. CA8
Rules & recordDerby Park Conservation Area
Designated 2007 · ref. CA9
Rules & recordGloucester Road Conservation Area
Designated 2008 · ref. CA10
Rules & recordGreen Lane Conservation Area
Designated 2023 · ref. CA11
Rules & recordHesketh Road Conservation Area
Designated 2024 · ref. CA12
Rules & recordHomer Green Conservation Area
Designated 2024 · ref. CA13
Rules & recordInce Blundell Conservation Area
Designated 1981 · ref. CA14
Rules & recordLittle Crosby Conservation Area
Designated 1974 · ref. CA15
Rules & recordLord Street Conservation Area
Designated 2019 · ref. CA16
Rules & recordLunt Village Conservation Area
Designated 2024 · ref. CA17
Rules & recordLydiate Hall And Chapel Conservation Area
Designated 1991 · ref. CA18
Rules & recordMoor Park Conservation Area
Designated 2008 · ref. CA19
Rules & recordNorth Meols Conservation Area
Designated 2009 · ref. CA20
Rules & recordPromenade Conservation Area
Designated 2019 · ref. CA21
Rules & recordSefton Village Conservation Area
Designated 1974 · ref. CA22
Rules & recordWaterloo Conservation Area
Designated 2000 · ref. CA23
Rules & recordWaterloo Park Conservation Area
Designated 2016 · ref. CA24
Rules & recordWest Birkdale Conservation Area
Designated 2008 · ref. CA25
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 Sefton Metropolitan 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.
- Aintree HMO (2 July 2025)
- Bootle and Waterloo HMO (20 September 2017)
- Moor Park Conservation Area (15 January 2010)
- Park House (14 October 2022)
- Sefton Village Conservation Area (10 March 1982)
- Southport HMO (20 September 2017)
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.