About the Grantchester Conservation Area
The Grantchester Conservation Area covers about 22 hectares and was designated by South Cambridgeshire District Council in 1975. Inside the boundary are 29 listed buildings (2 Grade II*, 27 Grade II). The most significant is Church of St Mary and St Andrew, Grade II*. 36 Tree Preservation Order records 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.
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 Mary and St AndrewGrade II*
- Manor FarmhouseGrade II*
- Audley CottageGrade II
- Balls GroveGrade II
- Barn at Lacies FarmGrade II
- Churchyard Wall, At St Mary and St Andrew's ChurchGrade II
- Churchyard Wall, East of St Mary and St Andrew's ChurchGrade II
- CobblersGrade II
- CrosswaysGrade II
- Dove CottagesGrade II
- Garden Building, At the Old VicarageGrade II
- Grant CottagesGrade II
- Grape HouseGrade II
- Green Man Public HouseGrade II
- Ivy DeneGrade II
- King's CottageGrade II
- Lacies FarmhouseGrade II
- Manor Farm LodgeGrade II
- Merton BarnGrade II
- Merton HouseGrade II
- Mill HouseGrade II
- Millers CottagesGrade II
- Old VicarageGrade II
- Reading RoomGrade II
Show all 29 listed buildings ↓All 29 listed buildings
- The AlmshousesGrade II
- The White CottageGrade II
- War Memorial, Churchyard of St Mary and St Andrew's ChurchGrade II
- Wrights RowGrade II
- Yew GarthGrade II
The council’s appraisal
WEBGrantchester Conservation Area AppraisalSouth Cambridgeshire District 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 South Cambridgeshire District Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.