Conservation areachecker

How the conservation area checker works

1. 01

   Enter a postcode or address

   Any address in England. We find the property and look it up against the conservation area boundaries councils publish to the national planning data service.

2. 02

   See if it’s inside one

   You get the conservation area’s name, or a clear “not in one”. If a boundary runs close to the house, we say so rather than guess — a postcode point isn’t the exact building.

3. 03

   See what it changes

   Article 4 directions, listed buildings and National Landscapes are checked at the same time, and the result shows which projects still go ahead without planning permission.

What changes if you’re in a conservation area

You keep some permitted development rights, but fewer. Modest work at the back of the house is still allowed; anything that changes how it looks from the street needs a planning application.

Trees in a conservation area need six weeks’ notice to the council before cutting or pruning. Full guide to building in a conservation area →

Conservation area maps by council

Every conservation area published by 281 councils and National Parks, each with its boundary map and listed buildings. The other 27 haven’t published theirs to the national dataset yet — for those, check the council’s own website.

Common questions

Is my house in a conservation area?

Enter your postcode or address in the checker above. It looks the property up against the conservation area boundaries published by councils in England and tells you which area it’s in, if any. Your council’s website will also have a map and an appraisal for each of its conservation areas.

Can I search for a conservation area by postcode?

Yes. A postcode is enough — the checker finds the property and tests it against every published conservation area boundary. For a more exact answer on a street where a boundary runs close by, enter the full address.

How accurate is the conservation area checker?

It uses the boundaries councils publish to planning.data.gov.uk, the government’s national planning data service. 27 of 308 planning authorities haven’t published theirs there yet, and a postcode point isn’t the exact building, so houses near a boundary are flagged to check. It’s guidance, not an official council search — confirm with your council before you rely on it.

Is a conservation area the same as a listed building?

No. A conservation area covers a whole neighbourhood, and limits some permitted development there. A listed building is a single protected building — any work affecting its character needs listed building consent, wherever it is. A house can be one, both or neither; the checker tests for both.

Can I replace my windows in a conservation area?

Usually yes, if the new windows look similar — replacing windows isn’t development unless it materially changes the appearance. Many conservation areas have an Article 4 direction that removes that freedom for front windows, though, and the checker looks for those too.

Does it cover Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No — England only. The rest of the UK has different permitted development rules and no single national dataset of conservation areas.