Article 4 Directions (Adur)

Article 4 Directions in Adur:

What is an Article 4 Direction?

Certain minor works and alterations to single dwelling houses can be carried out without planning permission from the council.

Development of this kind is called 'Permitted Development' and falls into various classes which are listed in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).

If the council believes that specific planning problems exist in an area, ie alterations to houses that harm the character of a conservation area, it can make an 'Article 4 Direction' for that area, and certain types of development would no longer be exempt from the need for planning permission.

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Why are Article 4 Directions needed for the conservation areas?

The council recently consulted on conservation area character appraisals for the Kingston Buci and Old Shoreham conservation areas. These documents identified the cumulative impact of alterations to buildings and loss of architectural details as being detrimental to the character and appearance of the conservation area. As a result, a recommendation was made in each character appraisal to prepare an Article 4 Direction to halt these harmful changes. See:

Kingston Buci and Old Shoreham conservation areas (below)

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What are the benefits of an Article 4 Direction?

Article 4 Directions can bring benefits to people living, working or visiting the conservation area.

They include:

protecting the special interest of the conservation area
helping to ensure that new development within the conservation area preserves the area's special character
protecting the conservation area from unsympathetic change
encouraging the use of local and traditional building materials

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What does an Article 4 Direction mean for residents?

Certain permitted development rights would be withdrawn where they relate to the street frontages, which means a planning application will be required to undertake those works.

An Article 4 Direction does not prevent the type of development to which it applies, it simply requires that planning permission be sought for the proposed development, which must be sympathetic to the special character of the conservation area.

No retrospective action can or would be taken for unsympathetic works carried out prior to the introduction of the Article 4 Directions.

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What kind of development would be controlled by an Article 4 Direction?

To prevent the gradual and cumulative erosion of the special character of the conservation areas, the following works could be controlled by the Article 4 Direction:

Where fronting a highway or public right of way and which would involve:

any alteration to a roof including roof coverings, rooflights and solar panels
building a porch
enlargement, improvement or alteration such as an extension, removal or changes to architectural features
the provision of a hard surface
the erection, construction, improvement or alteration (including demolition) of a fence, gate, wall or other means of enclosure
removing totally or partially walls, gates, fences or other means of enclosure
exterior painting of previously unpainted surfaces or changes of external colour schemes, or covering walls by render or like finishes

Whether it fronts a highway or open space (or not):

removing or altering chimneys

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What does not require planning permission if the Article 4 Direction is implemented?

Planning permission is not required to carry out repairs to a property (unless a listed building) or to replace features exactly 'like for like'. For example recovering a handmade clay tiled roof with handmade clay tiles or replacing timber sliding sash windows with matching sliding sash windows.

With the exception of removing or altering chimneys, the Article 4 Direction would not affect existing permitted development rights for works to the rear of houses, such as rear extensions.

For further information on what currently requires planning permission, please refer to the:

Planning Portal website

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Kingston Buci and Old Shoreham conservation areas

As part of a programme of reviewing and updating conservation area character appraisals across the district, Adur District Council has prepared draft character appraisals for the Old Shoreham and Kingston Buci conservation areas.

The draft character appraisals propose introducing stricter planning controls, known as an Article 4 Direction, to preserve the unique character of properties in the area.

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