About the St Sidwells Conservation Area
The St Sidwells Conservation Area covers about 4.0 hectares and was designated by Exeter City Council in 2007. Inside the boundary are 4 listed buildings (1 Grade II*, 3 Grade II). The most significant is Sidwell Street Methodist Church, Grade II*. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below.
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.
- Sidwell Street Methodist ChurchGrade II*
- 4-18, Oxford RoadGrade II
- 91-93, Sidwell StreetGrade II
- St Ann's TerraceGrade 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
WEBSt Sidwells 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.