Article 4 Directions, Regulation 7 Directions and Local Development Orders

Article 4 Directions

An Article 4 direction is a direction under article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 which enables local planning authorities to withdraw specific permitted development rights relating to  operational development or changes of use across a defined area.

An article 4 direction only means that a particular development cannot be carried out  under permitted development and therefore needs a planning application. This gives a local planning authority the opportunity to consider a proposal in more detail.  For this reason, a planning application can be submitted to carry out development restricted by the Article 4 direction.  

There are three Article 4 directions which control changes of use from Class C3 (family dwelling) to C4 (house in multiple occupation) in Newcastle.  For further information on these directions, view the Houses in Multiple Occupation page. There are numerous other article 4 directions across the city covering various forms of development in identified areas, for example  householder extensions in Saint Peter’s Basin and restrictions on householder permitted development rights across the Northumberland Gardens and Summerhill Conservation Areas. Further details of all article 4 directions across the city can be viewed as follows:

View the list of Article 4 directions.

Here is our interactive map of the Article 4 Directions in Newcastle.  

• You can zoom in and out to get a closer look of the area you're interested in.  Click-and-drag or use the arrow keys to move the move around.   Click on the area for more details and a link to further information. 
• There is an option in the bottom left corner of the map to switch the aerial photography on and off,
• There is an option in the bottom right to choose which layers to switch on and off,
• the magnifying glass icon in top right is an address search.
• Click on the site for more information.  

In addition, Permitted Development Rights to extend, alter or change the use of a property can also be removed on individual developments by means of a planning condition, normally attached to the original planning permission for the development. You should therefore also check the planning history of a property.  A lawful development certificate application would check historic planning conditions on a site as part of the assessment. 

• If you believe there is a development in Newcastle which is in breach of these regulations, you can be report this to the Planning Enforcement team here.

Regulation 7 Directions ("To Let" boards restrictions on a residential property)

A Regulation 7 Direction under the Town and Country Planning (Control of  Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 places additional controls on various forms of advertisement that would normally have deemed consent (not require advertisement consent), on visual and safety grounds.

In Newcastle, the only Regulation 7 Direction restricts the display of "To Let" boards under Class 3A of Schedule 3, Part 1 of the above Regulations on residential properties in parts of Heaton, High West Jesmond, Jesmond, Sandyford, Shieldfield, South Gosforth and Spital Tongues. 

This restriction came into force on 5 January 2015. The removal of deemed consent in this case means that a letting board cannot be displayed outside a residential property in the areas stated. The display of “For Sale” boards and “To Let” boards on commercial properties in these areas continues to be able to be displayed in most cases.

Here is our interactive map of the restricted Areas in Newcastle.   This will show you the areas of the city, shown with the purple border, where this restriction applies.  You can zoom in and out to get a closer look of the area you're interested in.  Click-and-drag or use the arrow keys to move the move around.  Click a coloured area on the map to display a pop-up box with more information on it.  There is a search option under the map where you can search using a postcode. There is an option in the top right corner of the map to switch the aerial photography on and off.

• If you believe there is an unauthorised To Let board in Newcastle, you can be report this to the Planning Enforcement team here.

Contact planning.control@newcastle.gov.uk for further advice on Article 4 directions, removal of permitted development rights and Regulation 7 directions.

Local Development Order

A Local Development Order extends the nationally set permitted development rights in a specific area and for a select range of development. The Order streamlines the planning process, by removing  the need to make a planning application. This creates certainty and saves time and money.

The Neptune Energy Park Local Development Order (2012) expired in April 2020.  At present, there is no local development orders in place in the city.