Planning permission in Blackpool

Most single-storey rear extensions within the national permitted development limits don't need planning permission in Blackpool. The rules are stricter in its 7 conservation areas, where side extensions, two-storey extensions and loft dormers need permission. 2 of its Article 4 areas remove some or all house extension rights. Check your address to see which rules apply.

Blackpool at a glance

Conservation areas: 7
Article 4 areas: 6
Protected landscapes: None
Planning decisions: Blackpool Borough Council

How many conservation areas are there in Blackpool?

Blackpool has 7 conservation areas. In a conservation area, permitted development rights are reduced: side extensions, two-storey extensions, loft dormers and cladding all need planning permission, and many councils add Article 4 directions on top.

Foxhall Conservation Area
Layton Conservation Area
Marton Moss Conservation Area
North Promenade Conservation Area
Raikes Conservation Area
Stanley Park Conservation Area
Town Centre Conservation Area

Read more: extensions, loft dormers, garden rooms and solar panels in a conservation area.

Does Blackpool have Article 4 directions?

Blackpool has published 6 Article 4 areas. Inside them, some permitted development rights are removed, so work that would normally be allowed needs planning permission.

The rights they remove most often:

Painting the outside of a building (Part 2 Class C, in 3 of the areas)
Part 11 Class B (Part 11 Class B, in 3 of the areas)
Chimneys, flues and soil pipes (Part 1 Class G, in 2 of the areas)
House extensions (Part 1 Class A, in 2 of the areas)
Porches (Part 1 Class D, in 2 of the areas)
Walls, fences and gates (Part 2 Class A, in 2 of the areas)
Loft dormers and other roof extensions (Part 1 Class B, in 2 of the areas)
Other roof alterations, such as rooflights (Part 1 Class C, in 2 of the areas)
Garden buildings and outbuildings (Part 1 Class E, in 2 of the areas)
Hard surfaces, such as paved driveways (Part 1 Class F, in 2 of the areas)

Directions listed by Blackpool:

Article 4 Direction - C3 to C4 HMO
Article 4 Direction - Conservation Area (Raikes Hall)
Article 4 Direction - Conservation Area (Stanley Park) - Part 1
Article 4 Direction - Conservation Area (Stanley Park) - Part 2
Article 4 Direction - Locally Listed buildings
Article 4 Direction - Promenade

What is an Article 4 direction?

Is any of Blackpool in a national park, National Landscape or green belt?

There is green belt in or bordering Blackpool. Householder permitted development rights apply as normal in the green belt, but if you need planning permission, green belt policy limits how much a home can be enlarged.

Listed buildings and protected trees in Blackpool

Listed buildings everywhere in England are recorded by Historic England, and the checker looks for them at every address. Blackpool also publishes 46 listed building outlines, which show exactly which building is listed.

Blackpool doesn't publish its tree preservation orders as data. If there are mature trees near your project, ask the council whether any are protected before you start.

What planning data does Blackpool publish?

Planning data published by Blackpool Borough Council
Data	Status	Records
Conservation area boundaries	Published	7
Article 4 direction boundaries	Published	6
Listed building outlines	Published	46
Tree preservation order areas	Not published	0
Protected trees	Not published	0

Planning work on a home in Blackpool? Put a pin on your house and we'll check it against all of this.

Start a check

Other councils in North West

Data from planning.data.gov.uk, published by Blackpool Borough Council and national bodies under the Open Government Licence, last updated here on 31 October 2026. Blackpool Borough Council website.