About the St Mary's Butts and Castle Street Conservation Area
The St Mary's Butts and Castle Street Conservation Area covers about 4.1 hectares and was designated by Reading Borough Council in 1972. Inside the boundary are 45 listed buildings (1 Grade I, 5 Grade II*, 39 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Mary, Grade I. 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.
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 MaryGrade I
- 15 Castle StreetGrade II*
- 17 Castle Street, front railings and mounting blockGrade II*
- 19 Castle Street and associated front railingsGrade II*
- Church of St MaryGrade II*
- Holybrook HouseGrade II*
- 1 St Mary’s GateGrade II
- 10 and 12 Castle StreetGrade II
- 10 Gun StreetGrade II
- 11 and 12 Gun StreetGrade II
- 11 Castle StreetGrade II
- 13 and 14 Gun StreetGrade II
- 13 Castle StreetGrade II
- 14 and 16, Castle Street (the Sun Inn)Grade II
- 15 Gun StreetGrade II
- 2 and 4 Bridge StreetGrade II
- 21 Castle StreetGrade II
- 23 and 25 Castle StreetGrade II
- 27 Castle StreetGrade II
- 3 and 5 Castle StreetGrade II
- 33-37, Castle StreetGrade II
- 35, 36 and 37 St Mary's ButtsGrade II
- 39 Castle StreetGrade II
- 43 Castle StreetGrade II
Show all 45 listed buildings ↓All 45 listed buildings
- 45 Castle StreetGrade II
- 47 and 49 Castle StreetGrade II
- 51 Castle StreetGrade II
- 55 and 55a St Mary’s ButtsGrade II
- 59 and 61 Castle StreetGrade II
- 6-10 Bridge StreetGrade II
- 7 Castle StreetGrade II
- 7 Gun StreetGrade II
- 8 Castle StreetGrade II
- 8 Gun StreetGrade II
- 9 Castle StreetGrade II
- 9 Gun StreetGrade II
- Church House, ReadingGrade II
- Former cottage to the rear of 8 Castle StreetGrade II
- Group of four churchyard tombs north of the Church of St MaryGrade II
- Group of four churchyard tombs to the east of the Church of St MaryGrade II
- Harrinson Testimonial CrossGrade II
- Talbot HouseGrade II
- The Allied Arms Inn, 57 St Mary’s ButtsGrade II
- The Horn InnGrade II
- Vachel Almhouses, 1-32 Castle StreetGrade 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 Mary's Butts and Castle Street 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.