Planning permission in Cornwall
Most single-storey rear extensions within the national permitted development limits don't need planning permission in Cornwall. The rules are stricter in its 145 conservation areas, where side extensions, two-storey extensions and loft dormers need permission. Check your address to see which rules apply.
Cornwall at a glance
- Conservation areas
- 145
- Article 4 areas
- Not published
- Protected landscapes
- Cornwall, North Devon, Tamar Valley
- Planning decisions
- Cornwall Council
How many conservation areas are there in Cornwall?
Cornwall has 145 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.
- ALTARNUN
- ANDERTON
- ANTONY
- BERRY TOWER, BODMIN
- BLISLAND
- BODINNICK
- BODMIN
- BOHETHERICK / ST DOMINICK
- BOJEWYAN
- BOSCASTLE
- BOSCASWELL
- BOTALLACK & TRUTHWALL
- BREAGE
- BUDE
- CADGWITH
- CALLESTICK
- CALLINGTON
- CALSTOCK, church street
- CAMBORNE (TOWN CENTRE)
- CAMELFORD
- CARGREEN
- CARN BREA
- CARNYORTH
- CHACEWATER
- CHAPEL AMBLE
- CHARLESTOWN
- CONSTANTINE
- COVERACK
- CRANTOCK
- CREMYLL
- DEVORAN
- FALMOUTH
- FLUSHING
- FORDER & ANTONY PASSAGE
- FOWEY
- GERMOE
- GERRANS
- GOLDSITHNEY
- GORRAN HAVEN
- GRAMPOUND
- GULVAL
- GWENNAP
- GWINEAR
- GWITHIAN
- HALSETOWN
- HAYLE
- HELFORD
- HELSTON
- HELSTON - GODOLPHIN ROAD
- HELSTON - MENEAGE ROAD
- HENWOOD
- HESSENFORD
- HICKS MILL
- KENWYN ROAD, TRURO
- KILKHAMPTON
- KINGSAND / CAWSAND
- LANDRAKE
- LANREATH
- LAUNCESTON
- LELANT
- LERRYN
- LISKEARD
- LITTLE PETHERICK
- LOOE
- LOSTWITHIEL
- LOWER FORE STREET, SALTASH
- LUCKETT
- LUDGVAN CHURCHTOWN
- MADRON CHURCHTOWN
- MARAZION
- MARHAMCHURCH
- MEVAGISSEY
- MINGOOSE
- MINIONS
- MITCHELL
- MITHIAN
- MOUSEHOLE
- MYLOR BRIDGE
- NANCHERROW & TREGESEAL
- NEWLYN
- PADSTOW
- PAUL CHURCHTOWN
- PENDEEN
- PENGERSICK
- PENRYN
- PENTEWAN
- PENZANCE
- PERRANARWORTHAL
- PERRANUTHNOE
- PHILLACK
- PLAIN-AN-GWARRY
- POLKERRIS
- POLPERRO
- POLRUAN
- POLYPHANT
- PORTHLEVEN
- PORT ISAAC
- PORTLOE
- PORTSCATHO
- PORTWRINKLE
- POUGHILL
- PROBUS
- REDRUTH
- RELUBBUS
- RILLA MILL
- SANCREED CHURCHTOWN
- SENNEN COVE
- SHEVIOCK
- SOUTH ROSKEAR
- ST AGNES
- ST AUSTELL
- ST BREOCK
- ST BURYAN
- ST CLEMENT
- ST COLUMB MAJOR
- ST COLUMB MINOR
- ST DAY
- ST ERTH
- ST GERMANS
- ST HILARY CHURCHTOWN
- ST IVES
- ST JOHN
- ST JUST
- ST KEW
- ST MAWES
- ST MAWGAN
- ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT
- ST NEOT
- ST NEWLYN EAST
- STOKE CLIMSLAND
- STRATTON
- ST TEATH
- ST TUDY
- TREGONNING HILL
- TREGONY
- TRELIGGA
- TREWELLARD
- TRURO
- TUCKINGMILL
- TYWARDREATH
- VERYAN
- VERYAN GREEN
- WADEBRIDGE
- WEEK ST MARY
- ZENNOR
Read more: extensions, loft dormers, garden rooms and solar panels in a conservation area.
Does Cornwall have Article 4 directions?
Cornwall 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 Cornwall in a national park, National Landscape or green belt?
- National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in or bordering Cornwall: Cornwall, North Devon, Tamar Valley.
- World Heritage Site: Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape.
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 Cornwall
Listed buildings everywhere in England are recorded by Historic England, and the checker looks for them at every address. Cornwall 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.
Cornwall 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 Cornwall publish?
| Data | Status | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation area boundaries | Published | 145 |
| 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 Cornwall? Put a pin on your house and we'll check it against all of this.
Start a checkOther councils in South West
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Bristol
- Cheltenham
- Cotswold
- Dorset
- East Devon
- Exeter
- Forest of Dean
- Gloucester
- Isles of Scilly
- Mid Devon
- North Devon
- North Somerset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- South Hams
- Stroud
- Swindon
- Teignbridge
- Tewkesbury
- Torbay
- Torridge
- West Devon
- Wiltshire
Data from planning.data.gov.uk, published by Cornwall Council and national bodies under the Open Government Licence, last updated here on 31 October 2026. Cornwall Council website.