Conservation areas

Each conservation area has been designated due to its special architectural or historic interest. This section provides details of the conservation areas and their individual characteristics.

Conservation area designation has various effects, which are:

• complete or substantial demolition of a building requires consent
• consideration must be given to whether proposals preserve or enhance the conservation area
• work to trees (over a certain size) requires notice to the council
• planning permission is necessary for cladding of houses
• reduction in the size of extension which may be constructed without planning permission.

Many changes to doors, windows, roofs, chimneys and boundary walls remain permitted development – work which can be carried out without planning permission – in conservation areas. In some cases special controls called Article 4 Directions have been introduced.

The conservation area guideline documents below contain sections (typically appendices) that outline and summarise the council’s statutory powers in relation to the control of works, and conservation specific policies in the local plan (content elsewhere in the guidelines may also touch on these matters).

• Please be aware that the legislation and policies which inform aspects of the guideline’s contents have been subject to change

In particular, the provisions relating to Conservation Area Consent (CAC) have been replaced by Planning Permission.

It should also be noted that any conservation specific development plan policies mentioned in the guidelines have been superseded by policy PCS 23 of the adopted Portsmouth Plan.

The changes, in particular those relating to CAC, may affect the type of application it could be necessary to submit.

If you are considering works to, or within, a designated heritage asset you are strongly encouraged to formally submit a pre-application enquiry to the planning service.

All Portsmouth conservation areas – map

Conservation Area number 1: Stanley Street

Mid-19th century terraces adjoining the Southsea shopping centre.

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Stanley Street
• Stanley Street guidelines

Conservation Area number 2: Owen’s Southsea

Terraces & villas round Southsea shopping centre developed from the 1830s by Thomas Ellis Owen & others.

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Freestone Rd, Lennox Rd North, Stanley Street
• Article 4(2) Direction –  Hereford Lodge
• Article 4(2) Direction – Albany Rd, Cavendish Rd, Grove Rd South, Hereford Rd, Hillborough Crescent, Merton Rd, Nelson Rd, Ormsby Rd, Stafford Rd, The Thicket, Victoria Rd South
• Article 4(2) Direction – Richmond Terrace, Netley Place & Netley Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – Grove Rd South, Queen’s Crescent, Queen’s Grove, Queen’s Way, St Edward’s Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – Sussex Rd & Sussex Place
• Article 4(2) Direction – The Vale, Villiers Rd, Auckland Rd East, Maple Rd, Clarendon Rd & The Circle
• Owen’s Southsea guidelines

Conservation Area number 3: King Street

Mix of Victorian period terraces, post-war flats and more recent groups of modern, mainly terraced housing.

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Brougham Rd, S James’s Rd, Eldon Street, Gloucester View, Green Rd, King Street & Norfolk Street
• King Street guidelines

Conservation Area number 4: Old Portsmouth

Conservation area covers 40 hectares & contains the old town of Portsmouth, the city’s original settlement

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Bath Square, Broad Street, Tower Street & West Street
• Old Portsmouth guidelines

Conservation Area number 5: Mile End

North of Commercial Rd shopping precinct, the cul-de-sac contains the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Old Commercial Rd
• Mile End guidelines

Conservation Area number 6: The Terraces

Five terraces still retaining the original character of Southsea, reflecting an important stage in the city’s growth

• Map
• The Terraces guidelines

Conservation Area number 7: Highland Terrace

An attractive group of 19 typical mid-Victorian, terraced houses with long front gardens near The Gravediggers pub

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Highland Terrace
• Highland Terrace guidelines

Conservation Area number 10: The Seafront

Includes some seafront-facing buildings, but almost entirely open space. Largest conservation area in the city

• Map
• The Seafront guidelines

Conservation Area number 11: Old Wymering

Old Roman settlement with surviving medieval buildings in an area with a rural feel

• Map
• Old Wymering guidelines

Conservation Area number 12: Castle Road

Area of Georgian and Victorian buildings, many converted from commercial use into housing

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Castle Rd, Garden Lane, Great Southsea Street, Kent Rd, Regent Place, St Edwards Rd & Southsea Terrace 
• Article 4(2) Direction – Worsley Rd, Pelham Rd & The Retreat
• Article 4(2) Direction – St Edwards Rd & Yarborough Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – Wilberforce Rd
• Castle Road guidelines

Conservation Area number 15: Campbell Road

Leafy, residential suburb of Southsea built late 19th century

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Havelock Rd, Livingstone Rd & Lorne Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – 39-83 Campbell Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – 1-25, 28-66 Campbell Road
• Article 4(2) Direction – Victoria Grove, Albert Grove & Chelsea Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – Chelsea Rd
• Campbell Road guidelines

Conservation Area number 16: St Mary’s Churchyard

The first recorded church site on Portsea Island, and the nucleus of Fratton

• Map
• St Mary’s Churchyard guidelines

Conservation Area number 17: Eastney Barracks

Includes ancient monuments, listed buildings, a tunnel and the open parade ground

• Map

Conservation Area number 18: Guildhall & Victoria Park

Guildhall area, including University of Portsmouth buildings & Roman Catholic Cathedral

• Map
• Guildhall & Victoria Park guidelines

Conservation Area number 19: East Southsea

Roads of contrasting character around Victoria Road South and The Circle

• Map
• East Southsea guidelines

Conservation Area number 21: Milton Locks

The sea lock and the basin are surviving remnants of the Portsmouth & Arundel canal

• Map
• Milton Locks guidelines

Conservation Area number 22: HM Naval Base and St George’s Square

Including the Historic Dockyard and The Hard

• Map

Conservation Area number 23: Portsea

Includes many of the historic parts of Portsea, from Georgian buildings to early council housing

• Map
• Portsea guidelines

Conservation Area number 24: Rochester Road

Late Victorian/Edwardian development of brick-built terraced houses with many original features

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Rochester Road
• Rochester Road guidelines

Conservation Area number 25: Gunwharf

Including the Great Storehouse (or Vulcan Building) & the Old Customs House – both scheduled ancient monuments

• Map

Conservation Area number 26: St Andrews Church

Includes the former garrison church for the Royal Marine Barracks at Eastney, now converted to housing

• Map
• St Andrews Church guidelines

Conservation Area number 27: Hilsea Lines

Scheduled ancient monument stretching from Tipner Lake to Langstone Harbour, part managed as a local nature reserve

• Map
• Hilsea Lines guidelines

Conservation Area number 28: Essex Road

Avenue of hornbeam trees line this road of early Edwardian red-brick houses with classical-style balustrades & pediments

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Essex Road
• Essex Road guidelines

Conservation Area number 29: Craneswater & Eastern Parade

Roads characterised by large detached properties, many from the Edwardian & inter-war periods, a number of which are now flats

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – Bruce Rd, Helena Rd, Eastern Parade, Salisbury Rd & Spencer Rd
• Article 4(2) Direction – Brading Avenue, Burbridge Grove, Cousins Grove, Eastern Parade
• Craneswater & Eastern Parade guidelines

Conservation Area number 30: St David’s Road

Includes houses in parts of St. Andrew’s Road & Margate Road with many surviving architectural features

• Map
• Article 4(2) Direction – St Andrews Rd, St David’s Rd & Margate Rd
• St David’s Road guidelines