Planning permission in Cherwell

Most single-storey rear extensions within the national permitted development limits don't need planning permission in Cherwell. The rules are stricter in its 60 conservation areas, where side extensions, two-storey extensions and loft dormers need permission. Check your address to see which rules apply.

Cherwell at a glance

Conservation areas: 60
Article 4 areas: Not published
Protected landscapes: Cotswolds
Planning decisions: Cherwell District Council

How many conservation areas are there in Cherwell?

Cherwell has 60 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.

Adderbury
Ardley
Balscote
Banbury
Barford St John
Barford St Michael
Begbroke
Bicester
Bletchingdon
Bloxham
Bodicote
Charlton-on-Otmoor
Chesterton
Cottisford
Cropredy
Deddington
Drayton
Duns Tew
Fewcott
Fritwell
Grimsbury
Hampton Gay, Shipton-on-Cherwell and Thrupp
Hampton Poyle
Hanwell
Hethe
Hook Norton
Horley
Hornton
Islip
Juniper Hill
Kidlington Church Street
Kidlington Crown Road
Kidlington High Street
Kidlington Langford Lane Wharf
Kidlington the Rookery
Kirtlington
Milton
Mixbury
Mollington
North Aston
North Newington
Oxford Canal
RAF Bicester
RAF Upper Heyford
Rousham
Shenington with Alkerton
Sibford Ferris
Sibford Gower and Burdrop
Somerton
Souldern
South Newington
Steeple Aston
Stratton Audley
Swalcliffe
Tadmarton
Wardington
Weston on the Green
Wigginton
Williamscot
Wroxton

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

Does Cherwell have Article 4 directions?

Cherwell hasn't published any Article 4 boundaries on planning.data.gov.uk. Most councils have at least one Article 4 direction, often in conservation areas, so check the council's website or ask its planning team before relying on permitted development.

What is an Article 4 direction?

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

National Landscape (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in or bordering Cherwell: Cotswolds.
There is green belt in or bordering Cherwell. 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.

National parks and National Landscapes restrict permitted development in similar ways to conservation areas. Read more: extensions, loft dormers and garden rooms.

Listed buildings and protected trees in Cherwell

Listed buildings everywhere in England are recorded by Historic England, and the checker looks for them at every address. Cherwell doesn't publish listed building outlines, so where a listed building is recorded near an address, we ask the homeowner to check whether it's theirs.

Cherwell 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 Cherwell publish?

Planning data published by Cherwell District Council
Data	Status	Records
Conservation area boundaries	Published	60
Article 4 direction boundaries	Not published	0
Listed building outlines	Not published	0
Tree preservation order areas	Not published	0
Protected trees	Not published	0

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

Start a check

Other councils in South East

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