The Direction removed permitted development rights, meaning you'll need planning permission for most changes to the front of your house, and sometimes the sides. This includes, but is not limited to:

• enlarging, improving, or otherwise changing a house, including:
  • replacing windows and doors (we prefer timber-frames)
  • constructing a porch
  • constructing, changing, or demolishing a balcony
• adding to or changing the roof and covering, including chimneys (we encourage you to retain chimneys, and use natural slate for roofs)
• constructing an ancillary building or buildings (new developments need to be well-designed, appropriate for the location, and use high quality, natural materials)
• constructing or changing a hard surface, particularly for parking (we generally discourage constructing new driveways)
• installing a microwave antenna, satellite dish, or chimney (we encourage you to do this away from the front of your house)
• constructing or changing a gate, fence, wall, or other means of enclosure (we encourage low brick walls, stone walls, and hedges - fences are unlikely to get planning permission)
• demolishing all or part of a gate, fence, wall, or other means of enclosure (demolition of any of these is unlikely to get planning permission)
• painting of exterior walls of any part of the house or any ancillary buildings (painting brickwork is unlikely to get planning permission)

Planning policy requires developments to have a positive or neutral impact, which means using high quality, natural materials including slate roofs, and timber windows and doors, and retaining gardens and boundary walls.

Developments which harm the Conservation Area - for example, uPVC windows and doors, gardens being replaced with driveways, and the removal of front boundary walls - will not normally get planning permission.

We encourage you to make planning applications via the Planning Portal. The ability to waive the planning fee for planning applications made as a result of an Article 4 Direction has been removed nationwide, so the standard householder planning application fee of £207 applies. Please note, we are not currently providing pre-application advice.

Trees make a positive contribution to the Linthorpe Conservation Area. They may also be protected by a Tree Preservation Order. You must tell us in advance about any works (pruning, lopping, or felling) you're planning to carry out on trees in the Conservation Area. You can give notification of proposed works to trees in Conservation Areas via the Planning Portal. Applications are free.

For more information, you can read the conservation leaflet. To check whether your property is part of the Linthorpe Conservation Area, contact the Conservation Officer by calling 01642 729116 or emailing conservation@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

You can also view the document which officially confirmed the Article 4 Direction in February 2010.

Guidance on the care, repair, and upgrading of traditional windows can be found on Historic England's traditional windows guidance.