Information

General Information
Property Rights
Positive Conservation
Changing Nature of Conservation Area Boundaries
National Policy
Article 4

General Information

The declaration of Conservation Areas is a formal procedure laid down in the Town and Country Planning Acts. Conservation Areas are designated by local planning authorities because they are areas of recognised special architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. North East Lincolnshire has a rich and varied built heritage which is reflected in the number and quality of its declared Conservation Areas. Since the declaration of the Conservation Areas in North East Lincolnshire the previous and current Councils have had a duty to conserve and enhance these Areas.

Conservation Areas are often complex environments with the physical and visual relationships between buildings, open spaces and vistas creating a particular character. The scale, bulk, height and materials used in existing buildings are essential ingredients that make up this character and also the presence of trees, hard and soft landscaping and street furniture play important roles too. Conservation Areas are living, evolving environments usually accommodating many different activities including shopping, residential, places of employment and recreation.

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Property Rights
Within a Conservation Area certain rights of property owners are affected. Normal permitted development rights are reduced, some are removed and there are stricter controls over demolition. These changes are conveyed to all property owners in Conservation Areas as part of the formal declaration process and the existence of the Conservation Area will be revealed on a Local Land Charge Search so new owners will be notified before purchase.

Anyone considering development in a Conservation Area is advised to contact the Council's Conservation Officer, on 01472 324266, to discuss their proposals.

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Positive Conservation
Conservation Areas are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of insensitive development, which can harm or even destroy the attractive character they possess. The Council needs to assess in detail the impact of any proposals to develop in such Areas. The Council is expected by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to prepare Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Statements involving wide consultation with affected parties. Funding, if necessary, will be sought for such schemes from available sources.

The positive side of conservation can act as a catalyst for both individuals and groups to assist in area improvement. The resulting environment can serve to attract investment and help to counteract decline.

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Changing Nature of Conservation Area Boundaries

The boundaries of Conservation Areas do not necessarily have to remain fixed. The need may arise to extend them so that the character of a Conservation Area is not destroyed by development on its boundaries. Tastes also change, and so buildings and areas which were at one time not recognised as having any particular merit may become worthy of inclusion. Boundaries will therefore be periodically reviewed and adjustments made as and when deemed necessary. Also the designation of new Conservation Areas will be considered as and when appropriate.

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National Policy

The Government has stated that, "It is the quality and interest of areas, rather than that of individual buildings, which should be the prime consideration in identifying conservation areas. There has been increasing recognition in recent years that our experience of a historic area depends on much more than the quality of individual buildings - on the historic layout of property boundaries and thoroughfares; on a particular "mix" of uses; on characteristic materials; on appropriate scaling and detailing of contemporary buildings; on the quality of advertisements, shop fronts, street furniture and hard and soft surfaces; on vistas along streets and between buildings; and on the extent to which traffic intrudes and limits pedestrian use of spaces between buildings. Conservation area designation should be seen as the means of recognising the importance of all these factors and of ensuring that conservation policy addresses the quality of townscape in its broadest sense as well as the protection of individual buildings."

"Local planning authorities also have under section 69 a duty to review their areas from time to time to consider whether further designation of conservation areas is called for. In some districts, areas suitable for designation may have been fully identified already; and in considering further designations authorities should bear in mind that it is important that conservation areas are seen to justify their status and that the concept is not devalued by the designation of areas lacking any special interest. Authorities should seek to establish consistent local standards for their designations and should periodically review existing conservation areas and their boundaries against those standards: cancellation of designation should be considered where an area or part of an area is no longer considered to possess the special interest which led to its original designation." (Planning and the Historic Environment - Planning Policy Guidance 15 - PPG15).

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Article 4

Further directions under Article (4) and Article 4(1) of the Permitted Development Order may be used to withdraw permitted development rights. This allows the Local Authority to control architectural features, which are important to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

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