Conservation Areas in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has 50 designated conservation areas covering approximately one third of the city, with strict planning controls protecting architectural and historic character.

Conservation areas

50 designated areas in Edinburgh

City coverage

Approximately 35% of Edinburgh

Article 4 Directions

Most conservation areas affected

Enforcement time limit

Up to 10 years after unauthorized work

What Is a Conservation Area?

A conservation area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Conservation areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act 1967 and are designated by local planning authorities (in Edinburgh's case, the City of Edinburgh Council).

Unlike listed building protection (which applies to individual buildings), conservation area designation protects the area's overall character. This includes street patterns, building relationships, spaces between buildings, trees, historic street furniture, and views.

Edinburgh's conservation areas range from the massive Old Town and New Town World Heritage Site to small village cores like Corstorphine, Cramond, and Duddingston. Each has a published Character Appraisal document setting out what makes the area special and what planning policies apply.

How Many Conservation Areas in Edinburgh?

Edinburgh has 50 designated conservation areas, covering approximately 35% of the city. Major conservation areas include:

• Old Town (part of UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• New Town (part of UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Stockbridge
• Morningside
• Cramond
• Dean Village
• Colinton
• Marchmont, Meadows and Bruntsfield
• Grange
• Blacket

The full list and interactive map are available on the City of Edinburgh Council planning portal. You can search by address to check if a specific property sits within a conservation area.

What Are Article 4 Directions?

Article 4 Directions remove permitted development rights that would normally allow certain types of work without planning permission. In Edinburgh, Article 4 Directions apply to most conservation areas and restrict:

• Window and door replacement
• Roof alterations (rooflights, roof material changes)
• External painting or stone cleaning
• Satellite dishes and aerials on principal elevations
• Cladding on external walls
• Chimneys (removal or alteration)
• Boundary walls and railings (demolition or alteration)

This means work that would be permitted development elsewhere in Scotland requires planning permission in Edinburgh conservation areas with Article 4 Directions. The Council introduced these Directions because inappropriate alterations (particularly uPVC window replacement in the 1980s and 1990s) were damaging conservation area character.

What Work Needs Conservation Area Consent?

In Edinburgh conservation areas, you need planning permission for:

External alterations

Replacement windows and doors, even like-for-like timber sash replacements. Window repairs (putty replacement, sash cord renewal, draught-proofing) do not need permission if they preserve the existing appearance. Painting previously unpainted stonework or masonry needs permission.

Roof work

Installing rooflights, changing roof covering material (even like-for-like slate replacement may need consent if visible from the street), removing or altering chimney stacks. Emergency repairs to make a roof weathertight do not need permission, but permanent reinstatement does.

Demolition

Any demolition of a building or structure over 115 cubic metres (including garden walls, gate piers, and outbuildings) needs conservation area consent. Partial demolition (removing a chimney, knocking through walls visible from outside) also needs consent.¹

Trees

Trees in conservation areas have automatic protection. You must give the Council six weeks' notice before cutting down, topping, lopping, or uprooting any tree with a trunk diameter over 75mm (measured 1.5m above ground). The Council can then decide whether to issue a Tree Preservation Order.

How to Check If Your Property Is in a Conservation Area

The City of Edinburgh Council provides an interactive planning map at edinburgh.gov.uk showing all conservation areas and Article 4 Direction boundaries. Search by postcode or address. The map also shows listed buildings and tree preservation orders.

Alternatively, request a planning history search from the Council (£30 fee, 10 working days). This provides definitive confirmation and lists any planning permissions, enforcement notices, or other planning constraints affecting the property.

Solicitors usually identify conservation area status during conveyancing, but if buying a property, check the map yourself before making an offer. Conservation area location affects what work you can do and may affect resale value (positively, if buyers value architectural controls; negatively, if they want flexibility).

Planning Permission in Conservation Areas

Applications for work in conservation areas are assessed against Edinburgh Local Development Plan policies (particularly Policy Env 6: Conservation Areas) and the relevant Conservation Area Character Appraisal. The Council considers:

• Whether the proposal preserves or enhances the conservation area character
• Impact on the appearance of the building and surrounding area
• Materials used (traditional lime mortar, timber, natural slate preferred)
• Precedent effect (if one property installs uPVC, others may follow)
• Historic Scotland guidance (particularly for World Heritage Site areas)

Processing time: eight weeks for householder applications, 12 weeks for larger schemes. Neighbour notification is mandatory (21-day comment period). The Council's Design and Conservation team provides pre-application advice (free for householders, £150 for commercial).

Common Conservation Area Restrictions in Edinburgh

Window replacement

The Council strongly resists uPVC, aluminum, or composite windows in conservation areas. Policy requires timber sash-and-case windows to be repaired rather than replaced where structurally possible. Even timber replacements need to match the original glazing bar pattern, astragal profile, and hardware. Double-glazed sash windows are sometimes permitted if slim-profile (20-24mm units) and otherwise matching original pattern.²

Stone cleaning and painting

Painting previously unpainted stone or masonry is almost always refused. The Council considers it harmful to conservation area character. Stone cleaning using abrasive methods (grit-blasting, high-pressure washing) is also refused because it damages the stone surface. Approved methods are DOFF steam cleaning or poultice cleaning.

Satellite dishes and aerials

Installation on principal (street-facing) elevations needs permission and is usually refused. Dishes must go on rear elevations or in gardens where not visible from the street. Article 4 Directions removed the permitted development right that would normally allow dishes on non-listed buildings.

Enforcement and Penalties

Carrying out work without required conservation area consent is a criminal offense. The Council can:

• Issue a Planning Contravention Notice requiring information about the work
• Issue an Enforcement Notice requiring the work to be removed or reversed (up to 10 years after unauthorized work)
• Issue a Breach of Condition Notice if planning permission was granted but conditions not followed
• Prosecute in court (unlimited fine on conviction)

The Council takes enforcement seriously in conservation areas, particularly the World Heritage Site. Recent enforcement cases have required removal of unauthorized uPVC windows, reinstatement of painted stone to natural finish, and removal of inappropriate rooflights.

If you have carried out work without permission, the best course is to submit a retrospective planning application. The Council can grant permission retrospectively if the work is acceptable. If refused, you will need to reverse the work or face prosecution.

Conservation Area Grants and Funding

The Edinburgh World Heritage Trust operates grant schemes for repair and restoration work in the Old and New Town World Heritage Site. Grants cover up to 50% of eligible costs for stone repairs, sash window restoration, and traditional roof repairs. Applications are competitive; the Trust prioritizes buildings in poor condition or visible from main streets.³

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) offers grants for conservation area buildings through its Built Heritage Investment Programme. Priority goes to listed buildings and buildings at risk, but unlisted buildings in conservation areas are sometimes eligible. Check the HES grants portal for current funding rounds.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-15