About the Riverside Conservation Area
The Riverside Conservation Area covers about 25 hectares and was designated by Exeter City Council in 1993. Inside the boundary are 32 listed buildings (2 Grade I, 5 Grade II*, 25 Grade II). The most significant is Custom House, Wharfinger's House and Attached Warehouse, Grade I. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 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.
- 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.
- 2023 Article 4 DirectionHouseholder 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.
- Custom House, Wharfinger's House and Attached WarehouseGrade I
- Quay House (premises of the Diy Supplies Exeter Limited)Grade I
- 1-4 Warehouse VaultsGrade II*
- 6-11 Warehouse VaultsGrade II*
- Fish MarketGrade II*
- Harbourmaster's OfficeGrade II*
- Old Tudor House Tiddy HouseGrade II*
- 1 and 2, Bartholomew Street WestGrade II
- 1-6, Colleton RowGrade II
- 1, New Bridge StreetGrade II
- 14-25 VaultsGrade II
- 2-8, Colleton HillGrade II
- 37 and 38, New Bridge StreetGrade II
- 39, New Bridge StreetGrade II
- 60, Haven RoadGrade II
- 9-14, Colleton HillGrade II
- Cricklepit Mill With Secondary Wheel AttachedGrade II
- Eagle HouseGrade II
- Exe Bridge Balustrades and ArchGrade II
- Exe HouseGrade II
- Former Church of St EdmundGrade II
- Four Cannon BollardsGrade II
- HillyfieldGrade II
- Kennaway's Bonded StoresGrade II
Show all 32 listed buildings ↓All 32 listed buildings
- MalthouseGrade II
- North Warehouse (occupied by the Exeter Maritime Museum)Grade II
- Old Exe BridgeGrade II
- Part of the Premises of Caesar's RestaurantGrade II
- Premises at Rear of 26, 27, 28 Commercial RoadGrade II
- Rose Cottage (part of the Prospect Public House)Grade II
- The Bishop Blaize Public HouseGrade II
- The Prospect Public HouseGrade II
Streets in the conservation area
Streets with listed buildings inside the boundary. Boundaries often split a street — check your exact address.
The council’s appraisal
WEBRiverside Conservation Area AppraisalExeter 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 Exeter City Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.