Conservation Areas in North Tyneside Council
North Tyneside Council has 12 designated conservation areas.
What is a Conservation Area?
A conservation area is an area designated by the local planning authority under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as having special architectural or historic interest. The aim is to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of these areas for future generations.
Conservation areas can include town centres, historic villages, Victorian suburbs, garden estates, and even industrial heritage sites. They are not just about the buildings themselves — they also include the spaces between buildings, trees, street furniture, and the general character of the area.
How Conservation Areas Affect Your Planning Rights
Living in a conservation area does not mean you cannot make changes to your home — but it does mean that some works which are normally permitted development will require planning permission. The following permitted development rights are removed or restricted in conservation areas:
- !Extensions to the side or rear that materially alter the appearance of the original building may require planning permission.
- !Cladding or rendering the exterior of your home requires planning permission.
- !Solar panels on the principal elevation (the front of the house) are not permitted development.
- !Satellite dishes on the principal elevation require planning permission.
- !Demolition of most buildings requires consent in a conservation area.
- !Cutting down trees requires notification (6 weeks) and possible consent.
How to Check if Your Property is in a Conservation Area
- 1
Use North Tyneside's Planning Map
Visit North Tyneside Council's website and look for their interactive planning map or planning constraints map. Search for your address to see if it falls within a conservation area.
- 2
Contact the Planning Department
Call or email North Tyneside Council's planning department directly. They can confirm conservation area status quickly and tell you which conservation area your property falls in.
- 3
Use the Magic Map
The DEFRA Magic Map (magic.defra.gov.uk) shows all designated areas, including conservation areas, across England. Search for your postcode and enable the conservation area layer.
- 4
Read the Conservation Area Appraisal
If your property is in a conservation area, find the Conservation Area Appraisal on North Tyneside Council's website. This tells you what the council values about the area and what they will and won't approve.