About the Royal Naval Hospital Conservation Area
The Royal Naval Hospital Conservation Area covers about 9.9 hectares and was designated by Plymouth City Council in 1975. Inside the boundary are 20 listed buildings (2 Grade II*, 18 Grade II). The most significant is Former Royal Naval Hospital the Quadrangle Centre, Grade II*. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 1 Tree Preservation Order record overlap the area; every other tree here still needs six weeks’ notice before work. Part of the area lies in flood zone 3, 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.
- HMOs Mutley, Greenbank, City Centre and surrounding areasHouseholder 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.
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Quadrangle CentreGrade II*
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Water TowerGrade II*
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Boundary Wall to North West SideGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Inner Gate Piers and GatesGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Landing JettyGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Main Gateway and Gate PiersGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital North Gateway and Store and Attached WallsGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Octagonal Posting Box Immediately South of Pay OfficeGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Pavilion North of Inner Gates (pay Office)Grade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital StablesGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital Sundial in Front and West of the Quadrangle CentreGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Church of the Good ShepherdGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Number 10 and Attached WallsGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Number 14 (middleton Lodge) and WallGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Number 16 and Rear Courtyard WallGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Numbers 1, 2 and 3 and Area Walls and RailingsGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Numbers 11, 12 and 12a and Attached WallsGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital the Square Numbers 4 to 7 (consecutive) and Walls and RailingsGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital, 17 The Square and attached wallGrade II
- Former Royal Naval Hospital: the Square Numbers 8 and 9 and Area Walls and RailingsGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBRoyal Naval Hospital Conservation Area AppraisalPlymouth 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 Plymouth City Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.