About the Swaffham Prior Conservation Area
The Swaffham Prior Conservation Area covers about 11 hectares and was designated by East Cambridgeshire District Council in 1974. Inside the boundary are 31 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 1 Grade II*, 29 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Mary, Grade I. 2 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.
- Church of St MaryGrade I
- Church of St Cyriac and JulittaGrade II*
- 17 and 19, High StreetGrade II
- 54, 56, 58 and 60, High StreetGrade II
- 70, High StreetGrade II
- Anglesey HouseGrade II
- Dovecote, At Ivy FarmhouseGrade II
- Dovecote, To Rear of Number 50 Well HouseGrade II
- Goodwin Manor FarmhouseGrade II
- Ivy FarmhouseGrade II
- K6 Telephone KioskGrade II
- Kent HouseGrade II
- Knights ManorGrade II
- Lavender CottageGrade II
- Number 7 Stocks Barn West Number 9 Stocks Barn EastGrade II
- Oak CottageGrade II
- Old Barn HouseGrade II
- Outbuildings About 7 Metres South West of the ForgeGrade II
- Pound, Lock Up and Fire Engine HouseGrade II
- Priory CloseGrade II
- Priory CottageGrade II
- Red Lion Public HouseGrade II
- Rose CottageGrade II
- Shadworth HouseGrade II
Show all 31 listed buildings ↓All 31 listed buildings
- St Mary's CottagesGrade II
- Stocks FarmhouseGrade II
- The ForgeGrade II
- The NookGrade II
- The Old VicarageGrade II
- Well HouseGrade II
- West ViewGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBSwaffham Prior 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.