Planning permission in Gateshead

Most single-storey rear extensions within the national permitted development limits don't need planning permission in Gateshead. The rules are stricter in its 22 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.

Gateshead at a glance

Conservation areas: 22
Article 4 areas: 5
Protected landscapes: None
Planning decisions: Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council

How many conservation areas are there in Gateshead?

Gateshead has 22 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.

Axwell CA
Birtley CA
Blaydon CA
Bradley Park CA
Bridges Ca
Chowdene CA
Clara Vale CA
Coatsworth CA
Crow Hall CA
Gibside CA
Lamesley CA
Lintzford CA
Low Fell CA
Marley Hill CA
Path Head CA
Ravensworth CA
Rowlands Gill CA
Ryton CA
Saltwell CA
Sheriff Hill CA
Walker Terrace/Regent Street CA
Whickham CA

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

Does Gateshead have Article 4 directions?

Gateshead has published 5 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:

Walls, fences and gates (Part 2 Class A, in 3 of the areas)
Painting the outside of a building (Part 2 Class C, in 3 of the areas)
Demolishing walls, fences and gates (Part 11 Class C, in 3 of the areas)
House extensions (Part 1 Class A, in 2 of the areas)
Other roof alterations, such as rooflights (Part 1 Class C, in 2 of the areas)
Porches (Part 1 Class D, in 2 of the areas)
Hard surfaces, such as paved driveways (Part 1 Class F, in 2 of the areas)
Chimneys, flues and soil pipes (Part 1 Class G, in 2 of the areas)
Satellite dishes and antennas (Part 1 Class H, in 2 of the areas)
Solar panels on buildings (Part 14 Class A, in 2 of the areas)

Directions listed by Gateshead:

Article 4 Directions

What is an Article 4 direction?

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

There is green belt in or bordering Gateshead. 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 Gateshead

Listed buildings everywhere in England are recorded by Historic England, and the checker looks for them at every address. Gateshead also publishes 248 listed building outlines, which show exactly which building is listed.

Gateshead publishes its tree preservation orders (2,845 areas and individual trees), so we can flag protected trees near an address.

What planning data does Gateshead publish?

Planning data published by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
Data	Status	Records
Conservation area boundaries	Published	22
Article 4 direction boundaries	Published	5
Listed building outlines	Published	248
Tree preservation order areas	Published	682
Protected trees	Published	2,163

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

Start a check

Other councils in North East

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