About the Harpenden Conservation Area
The Harpenden Conservation Area covers about 322 hectares and was designated by St Albans City and District Council in 1969. Inside the boundary are 39 listed buildings (4 Grade II*, 35 Grade II). The most significant is Bowers House, Grade II*. 3 Article 4 directions over the area remove further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 210 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.
- Southdown Industrial EstateHouseholder works
- Childwickbury and Ayres End LaneHouseholder works
- Childwickbury and Ayres End LaneHouseholder 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.
- Bowers HouseGrade II*
- Harpenden Hall (district Council Offices)Grade II*
- Moat House HotelGrade II*
- Parish Church of St NicholasGrade II*
- 1 and 2, Ayres End LaneGrade II
- 15 and 16, West CommonGrade II
- 2, Luton RoadGrade II
- 2, Southdown RoadGrade II
- 20, Leyton RoadGrade II
- 3 and 4, Ayres End LaneGrade II
- 41, High StreetGrade II
- 66, 68 68A and 70, High StreetGrade II
- 69, High StreetGrade II
- 71, 71a and 73, High StreetGrade II
- 72 and 72a, High StreetGrade II
- Church Farm CottageGrade II
- Coach Lane CottageGrade II
- Ferrum House With Garage, Terrace and PoolGrade II
- Flowton PrioryGrade II
- Garden Wall, Gateposts and Gates Enclosing Front Garden at Harpenden HallGrade II
- Harpenden LodgeGrade II
- Milepost Opposite Moreton End LaneGrade II
- No. 15 Leyton RoadGrade II
- Number 1 Thatched CottagesGrade II
Show all 39 listed buildings ↓All 39 listed buildings
- Railway Bridge Over Southdown RoadGrade II
- Rivers Lodge (rothamsted Experimental Station) (including Front Railings)Grade II
- Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, and associated gate piers and railingsGrade II
- Royal British Legion Branch Club HeadquartersGrade II
- The CedarsGrade II
- The Cross Keys Public HouseGrade II
- The Dene (including Front Wall and Railings)Grade II
- The Harpenden Methodist ChurchGrade II
- The Inn on the GreenGrade II
- The Old HouseGrade II
- The White Horse Public HouseGrade II
- Three Horseshoes Public HouseGrade II
- Tollgate CottageGrade II
- War MemorialGrade II
- Wellington HouseGrade 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
PDFHarpenden Conservation Area AppraisalSt Albans City and 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 St Albans City and District Council and Historic England via planning.data.gov.uk (OGL). Guidance only — not an official council check.