About the West Cambridge Conservation Area
The West Cambridge Conservation Area covers about 194 hectares and was designated by Cambridge City Council in 1972. Inside the boundary are 92 listed buildings (14 Grade II*, 78 Grade II). The most significant is Clare College Memorial Court, Grade II*. 959 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 3, 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 West Cambridge 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.
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.
- Clare College Memorial CourtGrade II*
- Clare Hall, University of CambridgeGrade II*
- FinellaGrade II*
- Harvey Court, Gonville and Caius CollegeGrade II*
- History Faculty BuildingGrade II*
- Kerbstones to Pool in Courtyard to West of Hall, New HallGrade II*
- Murray Edwards College (formerly New Hall)Grade II*
- Newnham College, Clough HallGrade II*
- Newnham College, Kennedy BuildingsGrade II*
- Newnham College, Old LibraryGrade II*
- Newnham College, Peile HallGrade II*
- Newnham College, Pfeiffer BuildingGrade II*
- Newnham College, Sidgwick HallGrade II*
- Robinson College, CambridgeGrade II*
- 26, Millington RoadGrade II
- 3 Linked Residential Courts Due South of Central Buildings Churchill CollegeGrade II
- 3 Linked Residential Courts Due West of Central Buildings Churchill CollegeGrade II
- 3, Clarkson RoadGrade II
- 31, Madingley RoadGrade II
- 36 AND 36A, NEWNHAM ROAD (See details for further address information)Grade II
- 4 Linked Residential Courts Due South West of Central Buildings Churchill CollegeGrade II
- 48, Grange RoadGrade II
- 78, Barton RoadGrade II
- 9, Wilberforce RoadGrade II
Show all 92 listed buildings ↓All 92 listed buildings
- Cambridge University Real Tennis Club and Professionals HouseGrade II
- Central Buildings Churchill CollegeGrade II
- Chapel of St Edmund's House (roman Catholic)Grade II
- Chapel, Churchill CollegeGrade II
- Church Rate CornerGrade II
- Clare College, Gateway to the University LibraryGrade II
- Clare College, Screen and Gates Fronting Queen's RoadGrade II
- Corpus Christi College, George Thomson Building, Leckhampton HouseGrade II
- Elmside including boundary wall and gateGrade II
- Elterholm, 12 and 12A Madingley RoadGrade II
- Emmanuel College Sports Pavilion, including Groundsman's House and stableGrade II
- End House South and End House NorthGrade II
- Entrance Gateway to the University Library Entrance Gateway to the University Library Onto Burrell's WalkGrade II
- Faculty of Economics and Politics, Cambridge UniversityGrade II
- Falling Warrior Sculpture in Clare College Memorial CourtGrade II
- Fitzwilliam College, Central Hall BuildingGrade II
- Fitzwilliam College, ChapelGrade II
- Fitzwilliam College, New CourtGrade II
- Five GablesGrade II
- Frostlake Cottage Little Newnham Malting Cottage the LoftGrade II
- Gas Lamp Outside Nos 12 and 14Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Beside the Passage to Marlowe RoadGrade II
- Gas Lamp Post Between Numbers 1 and 3Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Between Numbers 28 and 30Grade II
- Gas lamp post between numbers 33 and 33a, Millington RoadGrade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside No. 20Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside Number 25Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside Number 36Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside Number 4Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside Number 5Grade II
- Gas Lamp Post Outside Number 7Grade II
- Gateway at Number 78Grade II
- House and Brock Brothers' StudioGrade II
- Katharine Stephen Rare Books LibraryGrade II
- Lady Mitchell Hall, Cambridge UniversityGrade II
- Little Hall and Attached Lecture Theatre Block, Cambridge UniversityGrade II
- Marshall HouseGrade II
- Mogford LodgeGrade II
- Newnham College, HallGrade II
- Newnham College, House in the College Grounds Circa 100 Yards South of Clough BuildingGrade II
- Newnham College, Old HallGrade II
- Newnham CottageGrade II
- Northumberland Dome at the ObservatoryGrade II
- Perse AlmshousesGrade II
- Raised Faculty Block, Cambridge UniversityGrade II
- Research Flats, Churchill CollegeGrade II
- Ridley Hall ChapelGrade II
- Ridley Hall Entrance BlockGrade II
- Ridley Hall Gateway Onto Ridley Hall RoadGrade II
- Ridley Hall North BlockGrade II
- Ridley Hall West BlockGrade II
- Saxmeadham, including flanking walls, front boundary wall and gate piersGrade II
- Selwyn College ChapelGrade II
- Selwyn College Entrance BlockGrade II
- Selwyn College HallGrade II
- Selwyn College Master's LodgeGrade II
- Selwyn College, Gateway and Screen Between the North Range and the ChapelGrade II
- Selwyn College, North RangeGrade II
- Silbury including gate piers and plinth wallGrade II
- The GroveGrade II
- The Malting HouseGrade II
- The ObservatoryGrade II
- The Stone House and associated gate piersGrade II
- Trinity College, Entrance Gates to the Fellows' GardenGrade II
- University LibraryGrade II
- Upton House, entrance gates and gate piers, garden structures and garageGrade II
- Whewell House, including boundary walls to south and westGrade II
- Wolfson Hall, Bracken Library and Bevin Rooms Churchill CollegeGrade II
Streets in the conservation area
Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.
Millington Roadand 12A Madingley RoadBarton RoadClarkson RoadGrange RoadMadingley RoadNew CourtScreen and Gates Fronting Queen's RoadWilberforce Road
The council’s appraisal
WEBWest Cambridge Conservation Area AppraisalCambridge 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 Cambridge City Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.