About the Russell Street and Castle Hill Conservation Area
The Russell Street and Castle Hill Conservation Area covers about 25 hectares and was designated by Reading Borough Council in 1972. Inside the boundary are 52 listed buildings (1 Grade II*, 51 Grade II). The most significant is Nos 154 to 160 (even) and Railings to Street, Grade II*.
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.
- Nos 154 to 160 (even) and Railings to StreetGrade II*
- 107 Castle HillGrade II
- 109 Castle HillGrade II
- 111 Castle HillGrade II
- 113 Castle HillGrade II
- 115 Castle HillGrade II
- 117-121 Castle HillGrade II
- 122 and 122a Castle HillGrade II
- 124 Castle HillGrade II
- 126 Castle HillGrade II
- 128-132 Castle HillGrade II
- 134-144 Castle HillGrade II
- 139-141 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 144a-152, Castle StreetGrade II
- 149-169 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 15,15a,17 and 17a, Coley HillGrade II
- 162A, CASTLE STREET (See details for further address information)Grade II
- 168,172 and 174, Castle StreetGrade II
- 171-177 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 187-193 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 195 and 197 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 199-203 Oxford RoadGrade II
- 2, Tilehurst RoadGrade II
- 21-25, Coley HillGrade II
Show all 52 listed buildings ↓All 52 listed buildings
- 24-34, Russell StreetGrade II
- 27, Coley HillGrade II
- 29, Coley HillGrade II
- 3-13, Coley HillGrade II
- 3, Castle CrescentGrade II
- 31-35, Coley HillGrade II
- 33-39, Baker StreetGrade II
- 35, COLEY AVENUE (See details for further address information)Grade II
- 36, Russell StreetGrade II
- 38 and 38a, Russell StreetGrade II
- 4 and 6, Bath RoadGrade II
- 40 and 42, Russell StreetGrade II
- 41, Russell StreetGrade II
- 44 and 46, Russell StreetGrade II
- 48 and 50, Russell StreetGrade II
- 55, Baker StreetGrade II
- 6-22, Russell StreetGrade II
- 61-79, Baker StreetGrade II
- Blenheim Terrace, 97-105 Castle StreetGrade II
- Castleton House, 123 Castle HillGrade II
- Clevedon House, 125-127 Castle Hill and 1 Coley HillGrade II
- Kent House, 4 and 4A Howard StreetGrade II
- Reading SynagogueGrade II
- Rox Borough House, 101 Oxford RoadGrade II
- Swallow HouseGrade II
- The Castle Tap, 120 Castle StreetGrade II
- Yeomanry HouseGrade II
- York LodgeGrade 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
WEBRussell Street and Castle Hill Conservation Area AppraisalReading Borough 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 Reading Borough Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.