Bury St Edmunds Article 4 Directions

The purpose of an Article 4 Direction is to restrict the changes owners can make to the outside of their property without obtaining planning permission (known as 'permitted development') in order to protect the special character or appearance of conservation areas. This means that certain alterations now require planning permission.

In Bury St Edmunds, the Article 4 Direction applies to the whole of the two conservation areas - the Town Centre and Victoria Street Conservation Areas - with the restrictions applying to all individual properties, including commercial properties, as relevant. The intention is to protect the surviving traditional features of the conservation areas, such as sash windows and wooden panelled doors, and to encourage the accurate reinstatement of traditional features which had been removed in the past. The Direction also applies to modern and commercial buildings to prevent changes being made which might detract from the character and appearance of the conservation areas.

A list of the developments which are restricted by the Article 4 Direction is included in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Direction. The restrictions listed in Schedule 1 took effect on 25 March 2015. Schedule 2 contains restrictions which took effect on 1 July 2015.

A detailed guide to the restrictions contained in the Article 4 Direction will be available on the website shortly. In the meantime, please contact the conservation officers for advice.

Please note that Parts 31, 40 and 43 of Schedule 2 are renumbered in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development )(England) Order 2015, which came into effect during the consultation period for the Article 4 Direction, as follows:

  • Part 31 Class B is now Part 11 Class C
  • Part 40 Class A is now Part 14 Class A
  • Part 43 Class A is now Part 14 Class J

Although some of the numbering has changed, the permitted developments withdrawn by the Article 4 Direction are the same.

Consequently,under Section 17 of the Interpretation Act 1978, all of the restrictions in the Article 4 Direction have affect as if made under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development )(England) Order 2015.

The documents relating to the Article 4 Direction can be found below: