Special considerations: Is your home in a protected or restricted area?

Conservation areas are parts of the borough that have been given extra protection because of their historic or architectural interest — such as traditional streets, or areas with distinctive character.

What this means for you

If your property is in a conservation area, you may need planning permission for:

• alterations to windows, doors, or roofs
• demolition of part or all of a building
• extensions or external changes that alter the building’s appearance
• felling or pruning of trees.

Some permitted development rights are limited or removed altogether in these areas.

To check whether your property is in a conservation area or has any further restrictions (Article 4 Directions) use our interactive planning map, or view our list of conservation areas.

Conservation area design guides

If you are located within a conservation area you should also check if there is a design guide for that conservation area. Conservation area design guides contain practical advice and information to help you make repairs and improvements to your home that will help to preserve or enhance the character of the area.

A listed building is one that’s been officially recognised as being of national historic or architectural importance. The listing can cover the whole building, both inside and out, as well as attached or nearby structures such as boundary walls or outbuildings.

Grades of listing

• Grade I: Buildings of exceptional interest
• Grade II*: Particularly important buildings
• Grade II: Buildings of special interest (the majority)

>> Check if you live in a listed building in Brent

What this means for you

If your property is listed, you’ll need Listed Building Consent from the council for any work that affects its character, whether internal or external. This usually includes:

• extending, altering or demolishing any part of the building
• replacing or altering windows, doors, roofs, chimneys, gutters or external finishes
• changing brickwork, stonework, render, cladding, paint colours or other materials
• removing, moving or altering internal walls, ceilings, floors or historic room layouts
• altering staircases, fireplaces, doors, panelling, plasterwork, cornices or other original features
• installing new kitchens, bathrooms, services, pipes, vents, flues, insulation or equipment where these affect historic fabric
• attaching signs, lighting, satellite dishes, solar panels, alarms or other fixtures
• works to boundary walls, gates, railings, outbuildings or other structures covered by the listing
• repairs where the materials, design or construction method would differ from the existing building.

! It’s a criminal offence to carry out work on a listed building without the necessary consent.

In some parts of the borough, extra controls apply. These are called Article 4 directions.  This means that some areas of the Borough, types of work that would not normally need planning permission, do need permission.

If you live in in an area with an Article 4 Direction and carry out work without permission, you may be asked to undo the work or submit a planning application afterwards.

You can check whether an Article 4 Direction applies to your property by using the planning map. Select the Development section to see what planning rules apply to your address.

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)

If a tree in your garden is protected by a TPO, you’ll need the council’s permission to prune, cut down or remove it.

You could be fined up £20,000 for destroying or cutting down a protected tree, or up to £2,500 for pruning a tree without written consent.

If you need to carry out work to a protected tree you will have to apply for permission via the national planning portal.

Check for trees with TPOs on our online map >>

Flood Zones

Properties in flood risk areas may need additional drainage or flood risk assessments before development can be approved.

You can view local flood zones on our planning map or check national information via the Environment Agency’s flood map.

Protected habitats and wildlife

If your project could affect wildlife (such as bats or nesting birds), an ecological survey may be required. Our planning officers can advise on this before you apply.