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Article 4 Planning Controls Take Effect in Snowshill, Dividing ‘Bridget Jones’ Cotswolds Village

Homeowners must file applications for minor works to preserve the village’s historic character.

Overview

  • The Tewkesbury Borough Council Article 4 Direction took effect on October 1, ending permitted development for many small home alterations in Snowshill.
  • Newly controlled works include patios, exterior repainting, replacement windows and doors, porches, roof lights, gates, fences, walls, garden hard surfaces, solar panels and antennae.
  • Applications now follow the standard planning process with public notice and consultation, and normal fees apply, according to the council.
  • Some long‑term residents welcome tighter rules to protect the village’s look, while others call them costly and too controlling and question how enforcement will operate.
  • Several locals say tourism and short‑term holiday lets are the main pressures on the roughly 160‑resident village known for Snowshill Manor and its Bridget Jones’s Diary filming location.