About the Little Downham Conservation Area
The Little Downham Conservation Area covers about 12 hectares and was designated by East Cambridgeshire District Council in 1975. Inside the boundary are 16 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 15 Grade II). The most significant is Parish Church of St Leonard, Grade I. 3 Tree Preservation Order records overlap the area; every other tree here still needs six weeks’ notice before work.
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.
- 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.
- Parish Church of St LeonardGrade I
- 15, TownsendGrade II
- 17, Main StreetGrade II
- 27, Main StreetGrade II
- 41, Main StreetGrade II
- 68 and 70, Main StreetGrade II
- Alpha CottageGrade II
- Bury HouseGrade II
- Headstone Circa 15 Metres South of South Aisle of Church of St Leonard and East of Churchyard PathGrade II
- Headstone Circa 5 Metres From South Porch of Church of St Leonard and East of Churchyard PathGrade II
- Little Downham War MemorialGrade II
- The LawnsGrade II
- The Old RectoryGrade II
- The PloughGrade II
- The TreesGrade II
- Village CentreGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBLittle Downham Conservation Area AppraisalEast Cambridgeshire District 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 East Cambridgeshire District Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.