Article 4s

What is an Article 4?

An Article 4 Direction is a special planning regulation that gives extra planning control in a chosen area. (For example, a Conservation Area).

A Local Planning Authority (LPA) may have removed your permitted development rights by issuing an 'Article 4' direction.

It can remove permitted development rights for:

• extensions
• porches
• replacement of windows and/or doors
• painting the exterior of a building
• gates, fences and walls
• hardstandings
• alterations such as new or replacement roofs
• temporary building and structures
• houses of multiple occupancy (HMO)
• uses of the land and/or buildings

This means that you have to submit a planning application for any work, even if they wouldn't normally need planning consent.  You will need to pay the relevant planning fee. 

The paperwork on an Article 4 will show what rights have been removed.

View our planning fees

If you want to check if your property could have an Article 4 direction, please use our interactive map:

Article 4 Interactive Map

How to use the map

1. Under Find address or place, put in the details of the property (name, address or postcode) and click the magnifying glass
2. This initial search may bring up a few addresses. Please choose the correct address and the map will show the area
3. Use the “Map Layers” tool to tick the box next to the “Environment & planning” group and the “Article 4 direction orders” layer within it to make them visible
4. Click on the areas to get a pop-up box including a link to the PDF version of the Article 4 (Link to scanned order). There may be some instances where Article 4 areas overlap. On these occasions the box will state 1 of 2 in the top right.
5. To view details of the second Article 4 click on the arrow on the top right and it will take you to the next record.

We update the system on a regular basis.  But new directions may not be available straight away.  So please be aware that a new Article 4 could now be in force, but not visible on our system.

We also inform anyone using the above system, to take a dated screen shot as evidence of their check.