Planning permission in North Devon
Most single-storey rear extensions within the national permitted development limits don't need planning permission in North Devon. The rules are stricter in its 41 conservation areas, where side extensions, two-storey extensions and loft dormers need permission. Check your address to see which rules apply.
North Devon at a glance
- Conservation areas
- 41
- Article 4 areas
- Not published
- Protected landscapes
- Exmoor, North Devon
- Planning decisions
- North Devon District Council
How many conservation areas are there in North Devon?
North Devon has 41 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.
- Ashford
- Barnstaple - Ebberly Lawn
- Barnstaple - Newport
- Barnstaple - Pilton
- Barnstaple - Rumsam
- Barnstaple - Town Centre
- Berrynarbor
- Bickington
- Bishop's Nympton
- Bishop's Tawton
- Braunton
- Burrington
- Chittlehampton
- Chulmleigh
- Croyde
- Fremington
- Fremington Quay
- Georgeham
- Goodleigh
- Heanton Punchardon
- Ilfracombe
- Instow
- King's Nympton
- Knowstone
- Lake
- Landkey Newlands
- Landkey Town
- Lee
- Marwood, Guineaford and Kingsheanton
- Middle Marwood
- Molland
- Mortehoe
- North Molton
- Putsborough
- South Molton
- Swimbridge
- Tawstock
- West Down
- Westleigh
- Witheridge
- Woolacombe
Read more: extensions, loft dormers, garden rooms and solar panels in a conservation area.
Does North Devon have Article 4 directions?
North Devon 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 North Devon in a national park, National Landscape or green belt?
- National park in or bordering North Devon: Exmoor.
- National Landscape (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in or bordering North Devon: North Devon.
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 North Devon
Listed buildings everywhere in England are recorded by Historic England, and the checker looks for them at every address. North Devon 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.
North Devon 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 North Devon publish?
| Data | Status | Records |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation area boundaries | Published | 41 |
| 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 North Devon? 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
- Cornwall
- Cotswold
- Dorset
- East Devon
- Exeter
- Forest of Dean
- Gloucester
- Isles of Scilly
- Mid 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 North Devon District Council and national bodies under the Open Government Licence, last updated here on 30 October 2026. North Devon District Council website.