General Information on Conservation Areas

What is a Conservation Area?

A conservation area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, designated by the Council to help preserve and enhance its character and appearance.

There are 38 conservation areas in the Borough. They range from traditional town and village centres to Victorian and 1920s residential suburbs in Loughborough. The Council is required to consider development proposals within these areas with particular care to ensure the preservation or enhancement of their character and appearance. Improvement schemes are also carried out and there is a grant scheme to help with the preservation of historic buildings and conservation areas generally.

Character Appraisals

Our conservation areas include village and town centres, residential areas and important open spaces. We are part way through a five year programme to carry out Character Appraisals for each conservation area. The appraisals describe what is special about the area. They cover the history and form of development, the townscape and important buildings, prevalent features and materials used in the buildings, the contribution of open spaces and trees. The appraisals also note features that detract from the area which indicate opportunities for change. On the basis of the appraisal, management proposals for the area are drawn up to enhance and preserve the area.

Local Community Involvement

The Character Appraisals are adopted by Cabinet and then used by Development Control as guidance when determining planning applications in conservation areas. Prior to adoption there will generally be a public meeting with the local residents in each conservation area. This is an opportunity to check that nothing of importance has been missed in the appraisal and that ideas for enhancing and preserving the area are as complete as possible.

How is the character of a conservation area preserved or enhanced?

The Council pays special attention to preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area when making decisions on planning applications.

Conservation area status does not mean that everything should be preserved: it's the character of the area that matters. Any development, including new buildings and extensions or other alterations, should be carried out in a way that does not harm the area's special character. In development proposals, whether they are for new buildings or extensions and alterations to existing buildings, the Council expects a high standard of design to be achieved. This does not necessarily mean copying old styles but building in appropriate materials having regard to the layout, scale, massing, proportions and detailing of the surroundings. New development should respect any predominant style of buildings but where there isn't a uniform style, contemporary designs of high quality may be acceptable. A sensitive redevelopment of an eyesore site can enhance the area.

Even in a conservation area you can make certain changes without planning permission; but it makes good sense to make sure that any change is in keeping with the area. This helps maintain the value of property as well as avoiding upsetting the neighbours. Even small changes are important, cumulatively they can eventually transform a whole area for better or worse!

You can do a great deal to help preserve the character of your area by looking after your property. A conservation area can be enhanced by restoring a building to its original appearance with the replacement of missing features. Retaining and repairing original features can be more cost-effective and "sustainable" than replacing with new. Original materials should be re-used where possible.

The general policies, which the Council applies borough-wide, to deal with development proposals are set out in the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan. Policy specific to Conservation Areas is set out in the Government's Planning Policy Guidance Note PPG15: Planning and the Historic Environment.

What special controls are there in conservation areas?

You will need conservation area consent from the Council to demolish a building or structure. This gives the Council the chance to consider the contribution of an existing building to the area before making a decision on any proposed replacement. Consent for demolition may be made conditional on an approved replacement building going ahead.

The alterations and extensions that you can make to your home without needing planning permission are more limited than elsewhere. For example any roof extension will need permission even at the back of the house; so will any satellite dish at the front of the house. There are additional controls in part of the Mountsorrel conservation areas where an "Article 4 Direction" is in force, requiring a planning application to be made for work which would otherwise be "permitted development."

Planning applications for development in conservation areas should normally be made in detail, rather than as outline proposals, so that their full impact can be taken into account before a decision is taken on the principle.

You need to give the Council six weeks notice before carrying out any works to trees. This gives the Council the chance to decide if a tree preservation order is necessary.

You may also need approval under the building regulations for alterations even if you do not need planning permission. Remember that there are extra controls over "listed buildings". It is always best to check with the Council before doing any work to find out what approvals you may need.