About the St Albans - Holywell Hill / Sopwell Lane Conservation Area
The St Albans - Holywell Hill / Sopwell Lane Conservation Area covers about 18 hectares and was designated by St Albans City and District Council in 1969. Inside the boundary are 49 listed buildings (4 Grade II*, 45 Grade II). The most significant is 2, Sopwell Lane, Grade II*. 1 Article 4 direction over the area removes further householder rights, on top of the conservation area limits below. 23 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.
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.
- Sopwell Lane and Albert StreetHouseholder 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.
- 2, Sopwell LaneGrade II*
- Holywell HouseGrade II*
- The Crown and AnchorGrade II*
- The White HartGrade II*
- 1, Holywell HillGrade II
- 11, Holywell HillGrade II
- 13-17, Holywell HillGrade II
- 14-16, Holywell HillGrade II
- 19 and 21, Holywell HillGrade II
- 27a, Holywell HillGrade II
- 3, Holywell HillGrade II
- 32a, Holywell HillGrade II
- 34, Holywell HillGrade II
- 36 and 38, Holywell HillGrade II
- 36, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- 39, Holywell HillGrade II
- 42, Holywell HillGrade II
- 44 and 46, Holywell HillGrade II
- 48, Holywell HillGrade II
- 5, Holywell HillGrade II
- 50, Holywell HillGrade II
- 51, SOPWELL LANE (See details for further address information)Grade II
- 52 and 54, Holywell HillGrade II
- 53 and 55, Sopwell LaneGrade II
Show all 49 listed buildings ↓All 49 listed buildings
- 56, Holywell HillGrade II
- 58, Holywell HillGrade II
- 63-69, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- 68, Holywell HillGrade II
- 7 and 9, Holywell HillGrade II
- 71, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- 79, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- 81 and 81a, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- 83-89, Sopwell LaneGrade II
- Cottage Behind Number 11Grade II
- Gateposts and Wall to Number 47Grade II
- Hare and Hounds Public HouseGrade II
- Holywell LodgeGrade II
- Ivy HouseGrade II
- May CottageGrade II
- Number 27 Including Gates and Gatepiers Adjoining South SideGrade II
- Phoenix CottageGrade II
- Pickwick HouseGrade II
- The Goat InnGrade II
- The White Lion Public HouseGrade II
- Torrington HouseGrade II
- War Memorial Plaque attached to 1 Bardwell Road and 22 Thorpe RoadGrade II
- War Memorial Plaque attached to 11 Pageant RoadGrade II
- War Memorial Plaque attached to 34 and 36 Albert StreetGrade II
- War Memorial Plaque attached to 80 and 82 Sopwell LaneGrade 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
PDFSt Albans - Holywell Hill / Sopwell Lane 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.