Conservation Area Extensions in Glasgow

Glasgow's 23 conservation areas

Roughly a quarter of Glasgow's residential properties sit inside a conservation area. The intent isn't to freeze the city in time — it's to make sure that change is sympathetic to what makes Glasgow's stone-built streets special.

What planners are looking for

• Material honesty: match sandstone in sandstone, or contrast clearly with glass, zinc or render. Avoid imitation.
• Subordinate massing: the new work should sit behind, beneath, or to the side of the principal façade — not compete with it.
• Traditional fenestration: sash & case windows on the original façade, modern glazing acceptable on contemporary additions.
• Slate roofs: natural Scottish slate where visible from the public realm.
• Boundary walls and railings: retain or restore original cast-iron and sandstone boundary features.

Strategies that get approved

• Glass-box rear extensions: contemporary contrast against original sandstone — Glasgow West favourite
• Sandstone-matched single-storey rear: seamless extension of the original fabric
• Mews-style garden buildings: separate structures using zinc, timber or brick
• Roof additions hidden from the street: rear dormers and mansards behind the chimney line

Cost premium

Expect to pay 15–25% more than a standard build. Sandstone is the single biggest cost driver — Locharbriggs and Stainton red sandstone are the most common matches in Glasgow.

Talk to a conservation specialist