Kerbsight Bath and North East Somerset › Guides › Article 4 directions
Article 4 directions explained
An Article 4 direction lets a council withdraw specified permitted development rights in a defined area, so work that would normally need no application needs a planning application.
What it is
Permitted development rights let owners do some building work without applying for planning permission. An Article 4 direction is a direction under article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order which enables the Secretary of State or the local planning authority to withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area.
It does not ban the work. It only means the work cannot be done under permitted development and needs a planning application.
What it means if you own or are buying
- Ask the council whether a direction covers the address, and what it removes, before you plan an extension, loft conversion or change of use.
- Government guidance says directions should be applied in a measured and targeted way, based on robust evidence, to the smallest geographical area possible. They are therefore usually local.
How we show it
We do not yet show Article 4 areas on our maps. For Bath and North East Somerset we looked for council boundary data on planning.data.gov.uk and none is published, so absence on our pages does not mean there is no direction.
Common questions
What is an Article 4 direction?
A direction under article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order that lets the Secretary of State or the local planning authority withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area.
Does an Article 4 direction stop me extending my home?
No. It means work that would normally be permitted development needs a planning application instead.
Official sources
- Planning practice guidance: Article 4 directions (GOV.UK) (accessed 2 October 2026)
General information, not legal, planning or surveying advice. Check with the council and a qualified professional before relying on it. Other guides: Flood zones 1, 2 and 3, Listed building grades (I, II*, II), Conservation areas, Tree preservation orders, Agricultural land grades.