About the Osney Town Conservation Area
The Osney Town Conservation Area covers about 15 hectares and was designated by Oxford City Council in 1976. Inside the boundary are 7 listed buildings (1 Grade II*, 6 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Frideswide, Grade II*. 2 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 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.
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.
- Houses in Multiple Occupation Article 4 DirectionHouseholder works
- The Osney Town Article 4 Direction 1993Householder 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.
- Church of St FrideswideGrade II*
- Bridge at North End of Street Forming the Junction With Botley RoadGrade II
- Memorial 300 Yards South of Osney LockGrade II
- Osney AbbeyGrade II
- Osney Mill CottageGrade II
- Seven Arches BridgeGrade II
- Vicarage at the Church of St FrideswideGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBOsney Town Conservation Area AppraisalOxford 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 Oxford City Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.