Article 4 Directions

An Article 4 Direction removes specified permitted development rights from a defined area, site or type of development. It does not automatically ban the development. Instead, the proposal can no longer rely on the national GPDO permission which has been withdrawn and a planning application may be required.

If you are new to the subject, start with what an Article 4 Direction is. If you are checking a particular property, use our guide to checking whether an Article 4 Direction applies.

Article 4 Directions can affect very different permitted development rights, so the first job is to establish what has actually been withdrawn. If you are new to the subject, our What is an Article 4 Direction? page explains the basic effect. For a particular property, the practical starting point is how to check whether an Article 4 Direction applies.

Two of the most common controls are HMO Directions, usually affecting the Class L C3 to C4 route, and Class MA Directions affecting specified commercial to residential changes. Use the Article 4 HMO map or Class MA Article 4 map for those areas. We also cover the separate issues of material change of use and the current Article 4 policy and evidence test.

If a Direction is being introduced or already affects a property, see our guidance on a new Article 4 Direction coming in, Article 4 compensation, buying an HMO in an Article 4 area and the underlying Article 4 legislation. The Article 4 Index brings the full section together.

More Article 4 resources

Article 4 directions can affect different permitted development rights and different areas. Use the index for the complete section, or go straight to the topic you need.

Article 4 Directions Page Created: 22nd June 2019

Article 4 Page Updated: 19th September 2026