About the The Downs Conservation Area
The The Downs Conservation Area covers about 315 hectares and was designated by Bristol City Council in 1981. Inside the boundary are 77 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 4 Grade II*, 72 Grade II). The most significant is Clifton Suspension Bridge, Grade I. 4 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 357 Tree Preservation Order records overlap the area; every other tree here still needs six weeks’ notice before work. Part of the area lies in flood zone 2, so an extension may need a flood risk assessment.
What changes inside the conservation area
Conservation areas are “Article 2(3) land”. You keep most permitted development rights, but these are removed or tightened.
ProjectElsewhereIn The Downs CA
- Rear extensionElsewhere: 3 m · 6 m with PANo 6 m / 8 m prior approval
- Two-storey extensionElsewhere: 3 mNeeds planning permission
- Side extensionElsewhere: Half the widthNeeds planning permission
- Loft conversionElsewhere: 50 m³Needs planning permission
- Garden roomElsewhere: 2.5 m high by boundariesNot beside the house
- PorchElsewhere: 3 m²Same limits
- Solar panelsElsewhere: 0.2 m projectionSame limits
- Air source heat pumpElsewhere: 1 unitNot facing the road
- Fences, walls and gatesElsewhere: 2 m · 1 m by a roadSame limits
- External claddingElsewhere: Matching materialsNeeds planning permission
- Tree workElsewhere: No notice6 weeks’ notice to the council
- Demolition (over 115 m³)Elsewhere: AllowedNeeds planning permission
Limits for a semi-detached house under the GPDO 2015. An Article 4 direction can remove more.
Article 4 directions here
These overlap the conservation area. Householder directions remove more of the rights above; change-of-use ones don’t affect extending a house.
- Redland Ward (1999 ward boundary)Householder works
- Clifton Ward (1999 ward boundary)Householder works
- Ashley Ward, Cabot Ward, Clifton East Ward, Cotham Ward and Lawrence Hill Ward (1999 ward boundary)Householder works
- HenleazeHouseholder works
Listed buildings in the conservation area
Any work affecting these needs listed building consent, inside or out. Each links to its entry on the National Heritage List.
- Clifton Suspension BridgeGrade I
- Clifton ObservatoryGrade II*
- CoteGrade II*
- Memorial to the 79th RegimentGrade II*
- Monument to William Pitt, Earl of ChathamGrade II*
- 1 and 2 Home Farm CottagesGrade II
- 1, RockleazeGrade II
- 18 and 19, DownleazeGrade II
- 2 and 3, RockleazeGrade II
- 4 and 5, RockleazeGrade II
- 6 and 7, RockleazeGrade II
- 8 and 9, RockleazeGrade II
- Alderman Proctor's Drinking FountainGrade II
- Ashbourne HouseGrade II
- Badminton School and Attached Wall and DoorwayGrade II
- Belmont Lodge GrasmereGrade II
- Carfax CourtGrade II
- Coach House to Numbers 18 and 19Grade II
- Cote LodgeGrade II
- Cretehill HouseGrade II
- Drinking Fountain at St 559 747, Approximately 40 Metres South of Towerhirst on Clifton DownGrade II
- Drinking Fountain at St 5676 7317 Approximately 30 Metres North West of Number 12 Gloucester RowGrade II
- Drinking Fountain at St 5712 7495Grade II
- Entrance Lodge to Red Maids SchoolGrade II
Show all 77 listed buildings ↓All 77 listed buildings
- Garden Walls and Summerhouse 15 Metres North of the Wardens Lodge at Wills HallGrade II
- Gate Piers at Entrance to Drive to CoteGrade II
- Gate Piers Flanking Entrance to Cambridge ParkGrade II
- Gateway 10 Metres East of the Old HaltGrade II
- Gazebo at Stoke Abbey FarmGrade II
- Grace HouseGrade II
- K6 Telephone Kiosk Near Junction With Sion PlaceGrade II
- Lodge to Monica's Home of RestGrade II
- Monica Wills ChapelGrade II
- Number 17 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Number 27 and 29 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 1 and 2 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 11 and 12 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 13 and 14 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 20 and 22 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 21 and 23 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 24 and 26 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 25 and 27 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 28 and 30 and Attached Piers and Front Garden WallsGrade II
- Numbers 29 and 31 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 3 and 4 and Attached Front Garden Walls, Piers and GatesGrade II
- Numbers 3 and 4 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 32 and 34 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 33 and 35 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 36 and 38 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 37 and 39 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 40 and 42 and Attached Front Garden Walls and Ball FinialsGrade II
- Numbers 41 and 43 and Attached Garden Walls and Piers With Ball FinialsGrade II
- Numbers 45 and 47 and Attached Front Garden Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 5 and 6 and Attached Wall and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 7 and 8 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Numbers 9 and 10 and Attached Walls and PiersGrade II
- Orangery and Attached Walls Adjoining to North of CoteGrade II
- Perimeter Walls and Piers to Number 1Grade II
- Railway Tunnel Ventilation Tower Opposite End of Pembroke RoadGrade II
- St Monica's Chapel, St Monica's Home of RestGrade II
- St Monica's Court, St Monica's Home of RestGrade II
- St Monica's Home of RestGrade II
- St Ursula's High SchoolGrade II
- Stoke Abbey Farmhouse and Attached Garden Walls and Gate PierGrade II
- Stoke Bishop War MemorialGrade II
- The HermitageGrade II
- The Lodge, 18 Henleaze RoadGrade II
- The Old HaltGrade II
- The Old Tramways DepotGrade II
- TowerhirstGrade II
- Tuscany HouseGrade II
- Wall and Gate Piers to Numbers 2 and 3Grade II
- Wall and Gate Piers to Numbers 4 and 5Grade II
- Walls and Gate Piers to Numbers 6 and 7Grade II
- Walls and Gate Piers to Numbers 8 and 9Grade II
- Wills HallGrade II
- Wills Hall Warden's LodgeGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBThe Downs Conservation Area AppraisalBristol City Council’s description of the area’s character — what planners look at when you apply.Open on council site ↗Nearby conservation areas
Boundary and listed buildings from Bristol City Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.