Replacing windows in a Shropshire conservation area

White uPVC double glazed window in a brick wall

Living in a conservation area does not, on its own, mean you need permission for new windows. On a house that is not listed, replacement windows of a similar appearance are usually permitted development. Two things change that: an Article 4 Direction on your street, or your home being listed.

Shropshire has 128 conservation areas, according to Shropshire Council. Only some of them have Article 4 controls, so the first job is to find out which rules apply to your address.

The three situations

Your home	Planning permission for like-for-like windows?	Listed building consent?
House in a conservation area, no Article 4	Usually not	No
House covered by an Article 4 Direction	Normally yes, for elevations visible from the street	No
Listed building (any location)	Possibly	Yes, for significant works

Flats are different. City of York Council’s heritage guidance points out that the permitted development rights houses enjoy do not apply to flats, so a flat owner should check with the council even outside an Article 4 area.

Where Article 4 applies in Shropshire

Shropshire Council publishes its Article 4 Directions as a map layer. When we checked it on 17 October 2026, it named these places only: several areas of Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Bridgnorth Innage Gardens, Llanymynech, Prees and Highley (Clee View).

Shrewsbury

The Shrewsbury Article 4 areas on the council map are:

Belle Vue
Town Centre (Cherry Orchard, Mountfields and St Julian’s Friars)
Castlefields
Mountfields (extended)
The Mount
Priory Ridge
35 to 40 New Street and 38 Belle Vue Road

A 2009 council committee report confirms these are Article 4(2) Directions on houses. They cover “the replacement of windows, doors, boundary treatments and other features” on elevations fronting “a highway, waterway or open space”. See our Shrewsbury windows page for more on the town.

Bridgnorth

Bridgnorth has the largest Article 4 coverage in Shropshire on the council map, with more than 2,000 mapped features labelled Bridgnorth and a separate area at Innage Gardens. The map does not say which works each direction controls, so treat any window or door change in the conservation area as needing a check.

The Bridgnorth Conservation Area Appraisal says “painted timber vertically-sliding sash windows are equally characteristic of the town”. It names “UPVC or stained tropical hardwood instead of painted timber” among the replacements that damage its character. More on the town is on our Bridgnorth windows page.

Ludlow and Oswestry

Neither Ludlow nor Oswestry appears in the council’s Article 4 layer. In Oswestry, normal conservation area rules apply.

Ludlow is not a free-for-all, though. The council’s appraisal counts around 500 listed buildings in the town, so for much of the centre the real control is listed building consent. In November 2018 Ludlow Town Council asked Shropshire Council to apply for an Article 4 Direction, while noting “there are few unlisted buildings to which it would apply”.

Telford: the Ironbridge Gorge

Telford & Wrekin Council has an Article 4(2) Direction for houses in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, in place since 1998 and amended on 28 December 2012. Where a house fronts a highway, waterway or open space, it removes permitted development rights for:

windows, including roof lights and dormers
external doors
gates, fences and walls
roof alterations, porches and hard surfaces

The council’s other conservation areas, such as Wellington, are not listed on its Article 4 page. You can ask the planning team at planning.control@telford.gov.uk.

What the council will accept

Shropshire Council’s guidance for Article 4 areas is clear on materials:

“Replacement windows should be appropriate to the age and character of the building and conservation area.”
“Timber windows that match the original design are generally preferred.”
“uPVC windows are unlikely to be supported” where they would harm the character or appearance of the area.
“Double-glazed timber windows and other energy-efficiency improvements may be acceptable” where they preserve historic character.

In practice, that means matching the original pattern: sashes where there were sashes, the same glazing bar layout, and painted timber. Our uPVC vs timber vs aluminium guide compares the costs.

Planning fees

If you need planning permission because of an Article 4 Direction, you make a householder application. The national fee in England is £548 from 1 April 2026.

The 2026 national fees guide lists no exemption for applications needed because of an Article 4 Direction, so expect to pay the full fee. Listed building consent has no fee.

Listed buildings

If your home is listed, you need listed building consent for any significant works, inside or out, according to the Planning Portal. That includes replacing windows, and can include changing the glass in existing frames.

This is not a formality. Under section 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, unauthorised works to a listed building are a criminal offence, punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

Heritage guidance generally favours repair first. City of York Council’s December 2025 note says replacing windows that contribute to a building’s special interest “will not usually be supported”, and that uPVC is not expected to be acceptable on a listed building.

Secondary glazing: often the easiest route

The Planning Portal lists “installation of internal secondary glazing” among works that usually do not need planning permission. It keeps the original windows untouched, which is why conservation officers tend to favour it.

In a listed building it can still need consent. Cotswold District Council says most such works would not, but some will, for example where there are shutters or panelling. York’s guidance calls secondary glazing “usually a preferred method” of improving single glazed windows. For costs, see our sash window repair or replace guide.

Building Regulations still apply

Replacement windows must normally meet the energy standard in Approved Document L. There is an allowance for listed buildings and homes in conservation areas where full compliance would unacceptably alter the building’s character.

In those cases, Approved Document L says the window should have a centre pane U-value no worse than 1.2 W/m²K, or single glazing should be supplemented with low-emissivity secondary glazing. Your installer should still issue a certificate; our FENSA certificates guide explains how.

How to check your address

Check the map. Use Shropshire Council’s conservation area and Article 4 checker. In Telford, ask the planning team.
Check whether you are listed. Search the National Heritage List for England, run by Historic England, by address.
Read the appraisal. Shropshire Council publishes conservation area appraisals for towns including Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Ludlow, which describe the window types the council wants to keep.
Ask before ordering. The council recommends seeking advice before starting work and offers a pre-application advice service.

A good local installer will know the Article 4 streets and can supply drawings for an application.

Replacing windows in an older home? Get a quote from a checked local installer.

Common questions

Do I need planning permission to replace windows in a conservation area?

Not usually, if you live in a house that is not listed, there is no Article 4 Direction, and the new windows look similar to the old ones. If an Article 4 Direction covers your home, you will normally need planning permission for windows on elevations visible from the street. Flats do not have the same permitted development rights as houses.

Is there an Article 4 Direction in Ludlow or Oswestry?

Neither town appears in Shropshire Council's Article 4 map layer, checked in October 2026. Ludlow's main control is listed building consent, because so much of the centre is listed. Always check your own address on the council map, as directions can be added.

How much does a planning application for windows cost?

A householder application in England costs £548 from 1 April 2026. The national fees guide lists no exemption for applications needed because of an Article 4 Direction. Listed building consent has no fee.

Can I fit secondary glazing in a conservation area?

Internal secondary glazing usually does not need planning permission. In a listed building it may need listed building consent, for example where it would affect shutters or panelling, so ask the council first.