Conservation areas

Living in a conservation area

The designation of a conservation area indicates the council’s positive commitment to these areas and its intention to preserve and enhance the quality of the environment. However, conservation areas are not open-air museums but living communities which must be allowed to change over time in order to remain vital and prosperous. Consequently the emphasis is to guide and control development rather than to prevent it. It is important though, that all new development should be sympathetic to the special architectural and aesthetic qualities of the area, particularly in terms of scale, design, materials and space in between buildings.

Design of new development

The council has the power to require a very high standard of design which is sympathetic to the existing environment. New development must make a positive contribution to the character of the area. In view of this the council can require additional information in support of any planning application showing how the proposal will relate to the conservation area. This can mean the submission of elevations of adjacent buildings, full details of the proposal and examples of materials and colours. Usually only a fully detailed planning application will be considered, which should be accompanied by a design statement.