Windows for Sussex Homes: A Guide by House Type

The right windows for your home depend more on when and how it was built than on anything else. Sussex has some of the finest Regency terraces in Britain in Brighton and Hove, Georgian Chichester and Arundel, the medieval Cinque Port of Rye, the Duke of Devonshire's Eastbourne, and tile-hung, weatherboarded cottages across the High Weald.

This guide sets out the main types of home across East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, where each is most common, and the windows and doors that suit it best. It also covers the Article 4 rules in each council area, and what living in the South Downs National Park or the High Weald means for new windows.

Aliluxe designs, supplies and installs aluminium, uPVC and timber windows and doors across Sussex, including Brighton and Hove, Crawley, Worthing, Eastbourne, Hastings and Horsham. Every recommendation here comes from what we see on surveys.

Medieval towns and Wealden cottages

The High Weald has one of the highest concentrations of surviving early timber-framed buildings in Europe, typically with a brick ground floor and a tile-hung or weatherboarded first floor.

Where you'll find them

• Rye: a full member of the Cinque Ports from 1336, with many timber-framed buildings in the Citadel, Georgian brick fronts added to older houses, and black weatherboarding at Strand Quay.

• Battle: the town grew from the abbey William I founded after 1066. Its vernacular is tile hanging over brick ground floors, with white weatherboarded buildings on Mount Street.

• Midhurst and West Hoathly: 35 timber-framed buildings in Midhurst, mostly 16th and 17th century and often refronted, and timber-framed houses with Wealden clay tile hanging in West Hoathly.

• Arundel: late medieval hall houses survive, including 71 High Street, a Wealden house with a small hall.

What the windows are usually like

• Timber casements, often with diamond leaded panes or lead glazing bars.

• Leaded lights on medieval buildings, and timber side-hung casements in dormers.

• Arched heads over windows in brick walls.

What we recommend

• Listed buildings need listed building consent for almost any window replacement or alteration. Timber is usually expected, and secondary glazing is often the most practical upgrade.

• In conservation areas, timber or flush casement windows are the closest match. Keep leaded or glazing-bar patterns on the outside of the glass.

• Every opening is measured individually, so frames fit walls that are out of square.

• At the back, where the rules allow, French doors or slim sliding doors in a heritage colour suit a cottage.

Georgian county and market towns

In the 18th century, many older houses in Sussex's county towns were rebuilt or refronted in brick, and the sash window became the standard.

Where you'll find them

• Chichester: large numbers of houses inside the walls were rebuilt or refronted in red brick, often with blue headers in a chequer-board pattern. Pallant House (1712) is the best-known example.

• Arundel: many houses were refronted in brick in the early and mid 18th century, and the number of houses rose from 355 to 537 between 1801 and 1831.

• Rye and Battle: Georgian and Victorian buildings among the older timber frames, with white-painted multi-pane sashes in Battle.

• Lewes: the largest town in the South Downs National Park, with almost all of its historic town a conservation area.

What the windows are usually like

• Timber sliding sashes, typically with six or eight panes per sash and thinner glazing bars by the late 18th century. Chichester has few Georgian casements.

• Canted bays and bow windows, such as the two-storey canted bays on Maltravers Street, Arundel.

• Occasional Venetian windows, as at the George inn in Arundel.

What we recommend

• Sliding sash windows with matching glazing bars: timber where the council expects it, and REHAU uPVC sliding sash windows where it accepts them.

• Keep bows and bays in their original shape. REHAU bay and bow windows work where uPVC is acceptable.

• Front doors: a panelled REHAU front door under the original doorcase keeps a Georgian front intact.

• Check Article 4 first in Lewes, Rye and many Chichester villages (see below).

Regency and Victorian seaside towns

Brighton and Hove's great Regency estates went up in the 1820s, and resorts along the coast followed, with stucco terraces, bow fronts and balconies facing the sea.

Where you'll find them

• Brunswick Town, Hove: begun in 1824 to designs by C A Busby, with much of Brunswick Terrace and Square finished by 1834.

• Kemp Town, Brighton: Nos 1–14 Lewes Crescent, whose facades were completed in 1823–28 for Thomas Read Kemp to designs by Amon Wilds and C A Busby, are listed Grade I.

• St Leonards: developed by the Burton family from 1828, and dominated by stuccoed villas and terraces.

• Eastbourne: largely the work of the 7th Duke of Devonshire, who had Henry Currey draw up a plan in 1859. Most of the houses in Meads date from 1890–1910.

What the windows are usually like

• Two-, four- or six-pane timber sliding sashes in Brunswick Town, and small-pane timber sashes on Lewes Crescent.

• Curved sashes in bow-fronted houses, and timber French windows onto first-floor balconies.

• In Meads, timber sashes, often six-over-one, with canted, box and oriel bays.

What we recommend

• Check Article 4 first. In Brighton and Hove's Article 4 areas, uPVC and aluminium windows won't normally get planning permission on street frontages, so timber is the realistic choice there.

• Timber sliding sashes with slim glazing bars, or REHAU uPVC sliding sash windows where the council accepts them (Hastings, for example, asks for slim-section frames that copy the original pattern).

• Curved bow sashes have to be made to measure. We survey and template each one.

• Flats in converted terraces usually need planning permission for windows that look different from the old ones, and listed building consent if the building is listed. Tilt and turn windows can suit rear elevations where allowed.

Victorian railway towns and 20th-century homes

The London to Brighton railway created new towns inland. Haywards Heath was established by the line's opening in 1841, and in 1947 Crawley was designated a new town.

Where you'll find them

• Haywards Heath: rows of late Victorian terraces, large Victorian and Edwardian villas around The Heath, and 1920s and 1930s houses by Harold Turner in the Sussex vernacular.

• Burgess Hill and East Grinstead: Victorian and Edwardian growth around the railway.

• Worthing and the coast: large interwar estates of semis and bungalows.

• Crawley: post-war neighbourhoods, some of whose centres, such as Southgate and Gossops Green, are now conservation areas.

What the windows are usually like

• Timber sliding sashes, including cross sashes, with two-storey splayed bays in Haywards Heath.

• Oriel windows and diamond leaded lights, also seen in Haywards Heath.

• Timber or steel casements on interwar homes, and simple casements on post-war houses, mostly now uPVC.

What we recommend

• Sliding sash windows for Victorian and Edwardian houses: REHAU uPVC sliding sash windows, or timber where required. Mid Sussex aims to resist replacing timber windows with uPVC in the Haywards Heath conservation area, though without an Article 4 direction most houses there can still replace windows without permission if the new ones look similar.

• Casement windows for interwar and post-war homes: REHAU uPVC casement windows or Origin OW-80 aluminium.

• Where the originals were steel, heritage steel-look windows recreate the thin frames.

• At the back, a kitchen extension with aluminium bi-fold or sliding doors is the most common upgrade we fit.

Conservation areas, Article 4 and the South Downs in Sussex

Before you choose windows, check whether your home is listed, whether it is in a conservation area, whether an Article 4 direction applies, and whether your planning authority is the South Downs National Park.

• Most houses, including houses in conservation areas without an Article 4 direction, can usually replace windows without planning permission, as long as the new ones are similar in appearance to the old (Planning Portal).

• Flats and maisonettes don't have the same permitted development rights as houses. Identical, like-for-like windows usually don't need permission, but windows that look different may, and if you're a leaseholder you may also need consent from your landlord, freeholder or management company (Planning Portal).

• Listed buildings need listed building consent for any significant works, inside or out, including windows (Planning Portal).

• An Article 4 direction removes particular permitted development rights, so if it covers windows, even a like-for-like replacement can need an application. The directions we have found are listed below. We've confirmed that Rye's, Brighton and Hove's and Eastbourne's Park Close direction cover windows; for the others, check the direction for your street.

• The South Downs National Park Authority is the planning authority for the whole park, which has 166 conservation areas within or straddling its boundary (South Downs NPA). From 1 April 2026 it again decides applications in the Lewes and Eastbourne areas itself (Lewes and Eastbourne Councils), while Chichester District Council still handles them for the park in its district.

• The High Weald and Chichester Harbour National Landscapes don't on their own stop you replacing windows like for like (Planning Portal). Chichester Harbour's management plan (policy PP05) asks development near the water to avoid large horizontal expanses of glass, because of light pollution (Chichester Harbour management plan).

• Brighton and Hove: 34 conservation areas, with Article 4 directions in areas including Brunswick, Round Hill, West Hill, The Avenues, Adelaide Crescent and Rottingdean that require permission for replacement windows and doors on houses' fronts facing a street, footpath or open space, and in some cases the back. They usually apply only to single houses (Brighton and Hove City Council). The council's residents' guide says uPVC and aluminium windows and doors will not normally be given planning permission on street frontages (residents' guide).

• Rother: Rye's Article 4 direction (2007) covers the whole conservation area and includes window or door replacement on houses facing a road, waterway or open space (Rye appraisal). Winchelsea also has an Article 4 direction (Rother District Council).

• Lewes: the Lewes conservation area has had an Article 4 direction since 1995, though the rights it lists don't explicitly include windows. The South Downs NPA, which plans the town, has proposed a replacement that would cover windows on elevations facing a road, waterway or open space (its current status is unclear) (South Downs NPA).

• Chichester: many of the district's most historic conservation areas have Article 4 directions, including Chichester itself, Bosham and West Itchenor (ask the council whether yours covers windows) (Chichester District Council). The city's appraisal calls uPVC windows an unwelcome intrusion (Chichester appraisal).

• Worthing and Adur: both councils say Article 4 directions in some of their conservation areas remove rights for alterations to houses, including replacing windows. Adur's newest directions, made in 2023, cover the Old Shoreham and Kingston Buci conservation areas (ask the council whether they include windows) (Adur and Worthing Councils).

• Hastings: houses in conservation areas don't usually need permission for new windows unless an Article 4 direction applies, but flats do. Where permission is needed, replacing timber or aluminium with uPVC will not always be acceptable, and where uPVC may be allowed, the council asks for slim-section frames that copy the original's form, glazing pattern, size and design (Hastings Borough Council).

• Eastbourne, Mid Sussex, Wealden, Arun, Horsham and Crawley: Eastbourne has an Article 4 direction in The Park Close conservation area, which covers replacement windows and doors. Its other direction, covering Devonshire and Meads, controls conversions to shared houses (HMOs) and doesn't cover windows. We couldn't confirm any Article 4 directions covering windows in the others (Arun has two at Craigweil House, but we couldn't confirm whether they cover windows). Mid Sussex aims to resist replacing timber windows with uPVC in the Haywards Heath conservation area, but without an Article 4 direction most houses there can still replace windows without permission if the new ones look similar.

Work done without the right consent can lead to enforcement and the windows being replaced at your cost. We check these rules for every survey, and can help with the application if one is needed.

Sussex council areas at a glance

Council area	Typical housing	Conservation areas	Windows that often suit
Brighton and Hove	Regency Brunswick Town and Kemp Town, Victorian terraces	34	Timber sash and bows in Article 4 areas
Lewes	Historic Lewes (South Downs), Newhaven, Seaford	28	Sash, check Article 4 in Lewes
Eastbourne	The Duke's planned town, Meads villas	12	Sash and bays
Hastings	St Leonards stucco terraces, Old Town	18	Sash, slim-section uPVC where allowed
Rother	Medieval Rye and Battle, Bexhill	10	Sash and casements, check Article 4 in Rye
Wealden	Wealden villages, Uckfield, Crowborough	41 (8 in the South Downs)	Flush casements, tile-hung cottages
Chichester	Georgian Chichester, Midhurst, Petworth, harbour villages	85	Timber sash, check Article 4s
Arun	Georgian Arundel, Bognor Regis, Rustington, Littlehampton	29	Sash and bows
Worthing	Seafront and historic villages (Heene, Broadwater, West Tarring), suburbs	27	Sash, casements
Adur	Old Shoreham, Southwick	7	Sash, check Article 4 in Old Shoreham
Mid Sussex	Victorian Haywards Heath, East Grinstead, Weald villages	36	Sash, casements
Horsham	Market town and Weald villages	39	Casements, sash
Crawley	Post-war new town, Ifield Village	13	Casements

Frequently asked questions

Can I fit uPVC windows in Brighton and Hove?

Outside Article 4 areas, a house that isn't listed can usually replace windows like for like. In Article 4 areas, you need planning permission for new windows on the front, or on a side that can be seen from the street (some directions cover the back too), and the council says uPVC and aluminium will not normally be approved on street frontages. Flats need permission for windows that look different, and the council is unlikely to approve uPVC in place of timber on a flat in a conservation area. We check which applies to your address at survey.

Do I need planning permission for new windows in the South Downs National Park?

Not usually, if it's a house replacing windows like for like and it isn't listed or covered by an Article 4 direction. If you do need permission, the National Park Authority is the planning authority, though in the Chichester district part of the park, Chichester District Council handles applications on its behalf.

What windows suit a tile-hung or weatherboarded Wealden cottage?

Casements, with the original pane layout. Flush casements are the closest modern match, and timber is usually expected if the cottage is listed.

Do I need permission to replace windows in a flat?

Often. Identical, like-for-like replacements usually don't need planning permission, but windows that look different may, and rules vary by council. If you're a leaseholder, check your lease, as you may also need the freeholder's or management company's consent.

Do you cover my part of Sussex?

Yes. We work across Sussex, including Brighton and Hove, Crawley, Worthing, Eastbourne, Hastings, Bognor Regis, Horsham, Bexhill-on-Sea, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Chichester.

More window guides

We have guides like this for Surrey, Kent, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, and for Central, North, South, East and West London.

Get a free survey

Tell us about your home and we'll recommend the windows that suit it, check whether it is listed, in a conservation area or covered by an Article 4 direction, and give you a fixed quote. Call 020 4581 8351, email sales@aliluxe.co.uk or request a quote online. You can also browse our uPVC windows and doors and aluminium windows.

Please note: This guide is for general information only and is not planning, legal or professional advice. Planning rules, Article 4 directions and council guidance change over time, and how they apply depends on your property, so always check with your local planning authority before you start work (and with your landlord, freeholder or management company if you're a leaseholder). Replacement windows and doors must also meet Building Regulations. Historical and local details come from council, Historic England and other published sources and were believed to be correct when this guide was written in October 2026. Aliluxe cannot accept responsibility for decisions made solely on the basis of this guide, and we'll confirm the rules that apply to your home at survey.