New protection for historic mud walls in Whittlesey

Specific planning permission is now required to demolish, remove or alter any traditional mud wall in Whittlesey.

An immediate 'Article 4 Direction' requiring the permission for works affecting traditional mud walls was agreed by Fenland District Council's Cabinet committee at the end of last month (January) and a consultation has now launched to allow public input.

Cllr Dee Laws, Fenland's portfolio holder for planning said: Whittlesey's traditional mud walls are a distinctive and irreplaceable element of the town's heritage, and their continued loss would result in permanent harm to local character and sense of place.

"We're delighted to take this action to offer protection for these important features and look forward to working with owners of land and property where the walls are to ensure they're conserved."

A report to Cabinet said Whittlesey's nationally rare mud walls were made using locally sourced clay mixed with straw and built in tapering layers with formwork.

Most of Whittlesey's mud walls are thought to date from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, it added.

There are several sections of boundary mud walls in Whittlesey. Whilst seven are Grade II listed, the others were not protected.

The Article 4 direction does not wholly prevent any changes being made to traditional mud walls but does require planning permission to be sought and granted beforehand — a mechanism that wasn't in place before.                  

This allows the Council to properly assess the impact of proposed works, balance heritage considerations with other material planning matters, and grant permission where works are justified and appropriately designed.

The council's consultation on the new protections runs until Monday, March 16.

Discover more at: Article 4 Direction: Mud Walls in the Whittlesey Area

In all correspondence, please quote "Immediate Article 4 Direction - Whittlesey Mud Walls".

Comments can be emailed to: conservation@fenland.gov.uk

Or sent in writing to: Fenland District Council, Fenland Hall, County Road, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 8NQ.

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February 2026