Article Four Direction

The Secretary of State for the Environment confirmed an Article Four Direction for Mottram in 1982

If you have lived in Mottram for several years you may already know all about it, but in case you are a more recent resident, or would welcome a reminder as to exactly what at Article Four Direction is all about.

What exactly is an Article Four Direction?

It is a Direction, made originally by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council and now confirmed by the Department of the Environment which restricts your 'permitted development' rights.

But what are 'permitted development' rights?

In principle, all new buildings or significant alterations to existing buildings are 'development' and need planning permission. In practice, new alterations and extensions are so common or are generally considered to have so minimal an effect on the environment that they do not need specific planning permission. There are various rules and provisos, but basically every house could be extended by 50 cubic metres without needing planning permission (though it is important to remember that Building Regulations approval is still needed). This amount would normally allow you to build a garage, or a kitchen extension or to put a dormer bedroom in the roof. Many small porches would also be 'permitted development' and so would walls and fences, up to certain heights, and surface treatment of walls and roofs, including the alterations of doors and windows.

If most people have these 'permitted development' rights, why should they be withdrawn in Mottram?

There are several reasons why it was decided to seek an Article Four Direction:

1. Firstly, Mottram was declared a Conservation Area because it was, and is, an attractive village on a prominent hill top site. Many of the buildings are quite old and are of architectural or historical interest. They are built of traditional local stone and make a coherent whole. If it was worth making the village a Conservation Area it is worth making every effort to retain the features and character that make it so attractive.
2. Many of the houses are fairly small, so that even a modestly sized extension can, unless it is carefully designed, be out of scale with the rest of the building.
3. Many of the houses are also terraced, so that several together make an attractive architectural unit. An alteration to one house, a large dormer bedroom, for example, can affect the appearance not only of the house in question, but of the whole terrace, and, quite possibly, of the entire street.
4. With being on a hill top, the backs of the many houses can be seen from the countryside around the village and so development at the back can have almost as much effect on the appearance of the village as development facing the street. Many extensions, dormers, new fences and garden sheds are put up at the back of people's homes and can affect the overall appearance of the village.

For all these reasons it was considered important to control new development and the nature of essential repairs to ensure that they would 'fit in' with the existing buildings. The purpose is not to prevent new building or necessary repairs, but to ensure that they are undertaken carefully and in sympathy with their surroundings.

Have the people in the village had any say in all this, or is it an idea put forward by the Planning Department?

Originally the Planning Department was asked by people in the village if they could do anything to stop an old brick cottage being clad with artificial stone. Later an Exhibition and a public meeting were held both to advertise the extension of the Conservation Area and to explain the importance of good design and the implications of the Article Four Direction. A Conservation Area Advisory Committee was selected at a public meeting of local residents and that Committee has been meeting regularly ever since with local Councillors and Officers from the Planning Department. They have considered future improvements to the village which will be incorporated into an official Enhancement Plan. They have also made comments on planning applications and these comments have been given careful consideration by both the Planning Department and the Planning Committee.  The Planning Department has kept them informed of the progress of the Article Four Direction, and they have, on behalf of the village, encouraged its introduction.

It is hoped, therefore, that most people will already have some idea as to the purpose and effect of the Article Four Direction and will welcome it as a means of safeguarding those features which make Mottram a pleasant place in which to live.

How will it affect my property?

It is impossible to be precise in a general letter, as different types of buildings are affected in different ways. However, there is a map on display at the Mottram Information Office in the Court House, which shows just what classes of permitted development have been withdrawn from individual houses. (The map can also be seen at the Council Offices, Wellington Road, Ashton). When you go and lock at this map you will probably find that your house is affected by one or more of the following classes and sections within a class:

Class 1

Section 1 - Planning permission will now be needed for all extensions, such as kitchens, garages and dormers. It will also be needed for alteration to the design of window frames and doors.

Section 2 - If your house is in this section you will need planning permission for a porch on either the back or the front door.

Section 3 - You will need planning permission for extra buildings in your garden, such as garden sheds, greenhouses, pigeon cotes or anything else which, in the official jargon, is "incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house".

In addition, all property in the built up part of the Conservation Area, shown by a dotted line on the map in the Information Office, is affected by the following class and sections

Class II

Section 1 - You will need planning permission for all walls and fences, their erection or replacement.

Section 3 - Planning permission will be needed for painting, rendering, cladding, covering with roofing felt or any other surface treatment of walls and roofs.

For further information contact the Planning office:

The contact information below may be used to enquire about Conservation Areas in Tameside. Please note that we are unable to answer enquiries or provide advice relating to Conservation Areas outside of Tameside.

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Housing, Planning and Economic Regeneration Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne OL6 6DL  View local map
0161 342 3118
0161 342 2837