Replacement windows in a conservation area
In a conservation area in England replacement windows of similar appearance are permitted development for a house (GPDO 2015, Part 1 Class A) unless an Article 4 direction removes the right or the house is listed; windows that look different need planning permission. 402 of the 6,655 conservation areas with a page overlap an Article 4 direction that removes rights for windows. 291,805 homes inside conservation areas (15.1% of those with a window description) are still single glazed. Rules as at 21 October 2026; EPC register November 2026.
Am I in a conservation area? Check a postcode first: the rules below apply only inside one.
What needs planning permission
| Work (house, not listed) | In a conservation area | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement windows and doors of similar appearance | No permission needed (permitted development) | Part 1 Class A, A.3(a) |
Replacing windows and doors with ones of similar appearance to the existing is permitted development for a house under Part 1 Class A of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (condition A.3(a): materials of similar appearance), in a conservation area as elsewhere. Windows that do not look similar need planning permission.
Article 4 directions that remove this right are common in conservation areas: there, replacement windows need planning permission even if they look the same. The table below counts the areas where we found one.
On a listed building replacing windows needs listed building consent. Homes in a block of flats have no householder rights for alterations.
General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2 (England), text as at 21 October 2026: legislation.gov.uk. National rules for houses, not a planning decision; building regulations still apply. If in doubt, ask the council.
Article 4 directions
A council can remove this permitted development right with an Article 4 direction. Of the 6,655 conservation areas with a page, 402 overlap an Article 4 direction that, by its published data, removes it; in 508 more a direction overlaps the area but its data does not say which rights it removes; for 3,581 areas the council does not publish its Article 4 directions on planning.data.gov.uk. 116 of the 306 councils with conservation areas publish them; a direction can exist on paper without being in the data, so check with the council.
| Conservation area (largest 15 of 402) | Council | Homes with EPC |
|---|---|---|
| Bayswater | Westminster | 10,657 |
| Maida Vale | Westminster | 5,615 |
| Central Historic Core | York | 5,081 |
| Pimlico | Westminster | 5,003 |
| St John's Wood | Westminster | 4,503 |
| Portman Estate | Westminster | 4,353 |
| Hampstead Garden Suburb | Barnet | 3,679 |
| Mayfair | Westminster | 3,672 |
| Harley Street | Westminster | 3,438 |
| Blackheath | Lewisham | 3,337 |
| The Boltons | Kensington and Chelsea | 3,299 |
| Westbourne | Westminster | 3,186 |
| Oxford Gardens | Kensington and Chelsea | 3,180 |
| Ladbroke | Kensington and Chelsea | 3,052 |
| Kensington | Kensington and Chelsea | 2,955 |
Can I replace windows in a conservation area?
Replacement windows of similar appearance to the existing ones are permitted development for a house (Part 1 Class A), unless an Article 4 direction removes that right — common in conservation areas — or the house is listed.
The homes inside conservation areas, by region
Latest energy certificate of each home whose address point lies inside a conservation area; a home inside two overlapping areas is counted once. Shares are of the homes whose certificate records that feature.
| Region | Homes with EPC | Single glazed | Secondary glazing | Double or triple glazed | Areas with Article 4 removing the right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1,931,175 | 15.1% (291,805) | 4.0% (76,736) | 80.9% (1,561,862) | 402 |
| East Midlands | 135,412 | 10.0% (13,585) | 3.6% (4,939) | 86.3% (116,836) | 9 |
| East of England | 211,155 | 10.4% (21,950) | 4.3% (9,013) | 85.2% (180,008) | 32 |
| London | 532,838 | 24.2% (128,973) | 5.0% (26,828) | 70.7% (376,838) | 162 |
| North East | 55,488 | 8.5% (4,727) | 3.1% (1,699) | 88.4% (49,060) | 7 |
| North West | 149,150 | 7.4% (11,000) | 2.6% (3,922) | 90.0% (134,192) | 56 |
| South East | 276,591 | 16.2% (44,675) | 4.5% (12,565) | 79.3% (219,252) | 57 |
| South West | 295,220 | 14.5% (42,887) | 3.2% (9,560) | 82.2% (242,662) | 30 |
| West Midlands | 93,379 | 10.3% (9,625) | 4.2% (3,897) | 85.5% (79,801) | 33 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 181,942 | 7.9% (14,383) | 2.4% (4,313) | 89.7% (163,213) | 16 |
Most single-glazed homes
| Conservation area | Council | Homes with EPC | Single glazed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | Bath and North East Somerset | 16,898 | 5,139 (30.4%) |
| Bayswater | Westminster | 10,657 | 4,892 (45.9%) |
| Central | Cheltenham | 14,648 | 3,552 (24.2%) |
| Bloomsbury | Camden | 7,517 | 3,365 (44.8%) |
| Maida Vale | Westminster | 5,615 | 3,121 (55.6%) |
| Brunswick Town | Brighton and Hove | 4,016 | 2,542 (63.3%) |
| Pimlico | Westminster | 5,003 | 2,515 (50.3%) |
| Clifton | Bristol | 5,577 | 2,265 (40.6%) |
| St John's Wood | Westminster | 4,503 | 1,813 (40.3%) |
| East Cliff | Brighton and Hove | 4,355 | 1,741 (40.0%) |
Highest share of single-glazed homes (areas with 100 or more homes)
| Conservation area | Council | Homes with EPC | Single glazed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swindon’s Railway (SWD_328_CA_23) | Swindon | 284 | 270 (95.1%) |
| Pullens Estate | Southwark | 223 | 203 (91.0%) |
| Boundary Estate | Tower Hamlets | 393 | 318 (80.9%) |
| Trinity Church Square | Southwark | 268 | 212 (79.1%) |
| Millbank | Westminster | 492 | 375 (76.2%) |
| Barrow Island | Westmorland and Furness | 779 | 584 (75.0%) |
| Liverpool Grove | Southwark | 785 | 580 (73.9%) |
| Alexandra Road | Camden | 407 | 283 (69.5%) |
| Saltaire | Bradford | 675 | 465 (68.9%) |
| Robin Hood's Bay | North York Moors National Park Authority | 109 | 74 (67.9%) |
By region: areas with the most single-glazed homes
East Midlands
- Newark 412
- Stoneygate 402
- Louth 339
- Stamford 308
- Belper and Milford 304
East of England
- City Centre 598
- Bedford 492
- Hertford 423
- Mill Road 385
- Colchester Area 1 350
London
- Bayswater 4,892
- Bloomsbury 3,365
- Maida Vale 3,121
- Pimlico 2,515
- St John's Wood 1,813
North East
- Ashbrooke, Sunderland 354
- Durham City 268
- Leazes 259
- Central 202
- Hexham 159
North West
- Canning Street 697
- Barrow Island 584
- Lark Lane 351
- Princes Park 345
- Sefton Park 278
South East
- Brunswick Town 2,542
- East Cliff 1,741
- Montpelier and Clifton Hill 1,176
- Regency Square 990
- The Willett Estate 891
South West
- Bath 5,139
- Central 3,552
- Clifton 2,265
- Whiteladies Road 1,396
- Cotham and Redland 1,077
West Midlands
- Royal Leamington Spa 1,358
- Shrewsbury 722
- Edgbaston 334
- Severn Gorge 203
- Bournville Village 191
Yorkshire and The Humber
- Scarborough 1,480
- Central Historic Core 889
- Harrogate 807
- Saltaire 465
- Whitby 348
Caveats
- An energy certificate describes a home when it was assessed; later work (a new heat pump, panels, insulation or windows) is missing until a new certificate is lodged.
- 6,142 of the 6,655 conservation areas with a page contain at least one listed building; for a listed building the national rules above do not give permitted development rights for heat pumps or solar panels, and works need listed building consent.
- Boundaries and Article 4 directions: councils via planning.data.gov.uk. Homes are placed by the coordinates of their address (OS Open UPRN); addresses are not shown.
Other guides: Heat pumps · Solar panels · External wall insulation · Am I in a conservation area? · All rules and all conservation areas