For property owners and investors in London
Article 4 Directions Explained: HMOs, Class MA and Conservation Areas in London
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 7 min read
The short answer
An Article 4 direction is a council order that removes named permitted development rights in a defined area, so a house to a small HMO or an office to flats under Class MA then needs planning permission. It does not ban the change; it puts it in front of the council.
- It can remove HMO rights, Class MA, householder rights and demolition rights, one class at a time.
- Check an address in four places: the national dataset, the council map, the direction itself and the consultation list.
- If your site is caught, you apply, redesign to a use the direction does not touch, or walk away before you pay.
An Article 4 direction is a council order that removes named permitted development rights in a defined area. A change that normally needs no application then needs planning permission there. Examples are a house to a small HMO and an office to flats under Class MA.
A direction does not ban the change. It puts it in front of the council. This guide covers what a direction removes and how it hits HMOs and Class MA conversions in London. It also shows how to check an address and what to do if your site is caught.
We price and build conversions, so we write for owners deciding whether to buy, apply or walk away. For a whole building, the change of use planning permission route is the one we confirm first. Holding or eyeing a building in a borough with a direction? Get a free site appraisal.
What an Article 4 direction is and what it removes
Permitted development rights come from the General Permitted Development Order 2015. Article 4 of that Order lets the Secretary of State or a council withdraw named rights from an area. The works or change then need a planning application.
National guidance sets the limits. A direction cannot restrict a change within the same use class. It cannot stop development already begun or completed. It does not mean the work is refused, and a planning fee may be payable.
| Right removed | Where it sits | What then needs an application |
|---|---|---|
| Small HMO to home, or back | Part 3, Class L | The change between a home (C3) and a small HMO (C4) |
| Office, shop or other Class E use to homes | Part 3, Class MA | The change to homes, instead of prior approval |
| Extensions, roof work, porches | Part 1 | Work the householder right would have allowed |
| Gates, fences, walls, exterior painting | Part 2 | Those works |
| Demolition | Part 11, Class B | Demolition of the building |
A direction names the classes and the area. It can be narrower than the right itself. The City of London direction, for example, covers offices only.
Councils must justify a direction. The National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026 edition) is clear on the test. A direction should protect local amenity or wellbeing, rest on robust evidence and cover the smallest area needed.
Procedure matters to a buyer. A non-immediate direction is advertised first, with at least 21 days for representations. It takes effect at least 28 days, and up to 2 years, after that period begins, and only once confirmed. An immediate direction takes effect on notice but lapses after six months unless confirmed.
One protection helps investors. A prior approval already granted survives a later direction, if the development is completed within three years.
HMO Article 4 directions in London
Planning counts the people in a house. A family home sits in Class C3. A small HMO, Class C4, is a dwellinghouse used by not more than six residents as a house in multiple occupation.
| Use | Residents | Change from a family home |
|---|---|---|
| Family home (C3) | One household | Not applicable |
| Small HMO (C4) | Up to six | Permitted by Class L, unless a direction removes it |
| Larger HMO | More than six | Outside C4, so planning permission is needed |
Class L lets a building change between a small HMO and a home. It does not allow a split into two or more separate homes or HMOs.
Several London boroughs have used this power. Newham made its direction in 2012 and confirmed it in June 2013. It has applied since 31 July 2013 to the whole borough, except the area under the London Legacy Development Corporation.
Tower Hamlets lists a direction for changes from C3 to C4 on the national dataset. Hammersmith and Fulham agreed in February 2026 to make one, which still has to be confirmed.
For a buyer, a family house bought to let as a small HMO needs planning permission first where a direction applies. A direction does not undo use already begun lawfully, so prove the history before you rely on it.
Licensing is a separate regime. GOV.UK says an HMO is rented by at least 3 people from more than one household who share facilities. A mandatory licence is needed for 5 or more people and lasts up to 5 years. Some councils also require licences for smaller HMOs. A licence is not planning permission.
For a whole building or a larger scheme, we confirm the route first. That is change of use planning permission priced by the team that builds it.
Article 4 and Class MA: offices and shops in central London
Class MA lets a Class E building change to homes by prior approval, without full planning permission. An Article 4 direction can remove that right. Our guide to Class MA permitted development sets out the rules the direction removes.
The City of London made its direction on 13 May 2021. It covers all land in the City. It removes Class MA for offices (Class E(g)(i)) changing to homes. It has applied since 1 August 2022.
Lambeth's direction covers the whole of the Central Activities Zone as it relates to Lambeth. It also took effect on 1 August 2022. The Secretary of State has since modified it, so read the modified direction and not the original notice.
The Secretary of State can modify or cancel a direction at any time. An old council notice is therefore not proof of today's position. Check the live direction for the address, and read which classes it names. The kinds of building in Class E differ, and a direction can be narrower than the right.
Where a direction applies, the change needs a full application. The council then judges the scheme against its local plan rather than a fixed list.
Article 4 in conservation areas
In a conservation area, a direction can remove householder rights. Those sit in Part 1 of the Order: extensions, roof alterations, porches and hard surfaces. They also sit in Part 2: gates, fences, walls and exterior painting. Newham's page lists directions in three conservation areas.
Listed buildings are a separate regime. Works that affect a listed building's character need listed building consent, direction or not. The rule is section 7 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
A conservation area also shapes what a scheme can do. Our Allitsen Road feasibility study in St John's Wood covered a former members' club in a conservation area. We designed and priced four options and issued them in four weeks. See the Allitsen Road case study.
We’re extremely happy with Sviat and the Craftex team’s work. They suggested clever ideas, managed the project efficiently, and delivered a functional, modern space. The team was easy to communicate with and very professional throughout the process!
How to check whether a property is in an Article 4 area
No single map is complete. Use four checks, in this order.
- National dataset. On 29 October 2026 the Article 4 direction area dataset on planning.data.gov.uk held 7,649 areas from 120 providers. It warns that the data may be incomplete, so treat it as a first look.
- Council page and map. Each borough publishes its directions and a plan. Look up your address, and note the date the direction takes effect.
- The direction itself. It names the rights removed and shows the area on a plan. Read the schedule, not the headline.
- The consultation list. A proposed direction is advertised before it takes effect, with notices on site and to owners and occupiers. Ask the council what is proposed, because the map may not show it yet.
If the answer is still unclear, a lawful development certificate fixes it for a specific use. Our guide to the certificate of lawfulness explains when it is worth the fee.
Your site is in an Article 4 area: the options
A direction narrows the route. It does not close it. You have four moves.
- Apply for planning permission. There is a council fee, set out in our guide to planning application fees. There is also a decision period, covered in how long planning permission takes.
- Redesign to a use the direction does not touch. A direction names specific rights, so a different change may sit outside it.
- Price before you buy. Cost the works and the application together, and ask what the refusal case looks like.
- Know the compensation position. Compensation is narrow, as the next paragraph explains.
Compensation is payable only if the council later refuses permission for development that was otherwise permitted, or grants it with more limiting conditions. It covers abortive expenditure or direct loss or damage. The claim must be made within 12 months of the direction taking effect.
The statute rules compensation out where notice was published at least 12 months before the direction took effect. That is why councils give long notice, and why buyers watch the consultation list as well as the map.
Take this list to the first call with the seller or agent. If the building is a whole site rather than a single house, send us the address and we confirm the route before you commit.
- The exact address and its title plan
- The borough's Article 4 page and map, checked on the day
- The direction document: rights removed, area and date in force
- Any direction proposed but not yet confirmed
- The current use and how long it has been lawful
- A lawful development certificate, if the history is unclear
- A priced scheme for the route that remains
