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In 1967 the Lincolnshire village of Stamford was designated the country’s first Conservation Area under the Civic Amenities Act, which had passed only two months earlier. The act would later be repealed and replaced by the Planning Act of 1990, but Stamford, dubbed ‘England’s most attractive town’ by the once-Poet Laureate John Betjeman, paved the way for the almost ten thousand Conservation Areas that England now proudly possesses.
Stamford, Lincolnshire (The Times)
Today, Conservation Areas exist as a point of contention amongst professionals and the public alike. They are considered restrictive and inequality reinforcing by some, or protective of a community’s heritage and cultural identity by others. Whether one considers them a positive or negative aspect of the UK’s planning legislation, what can’t be denied is that they play a very important role in determining what can be done to the built environment on both a micro and macro level.
Conservation Areas are much more than the preservation of just one piece of architecture as many may believe. Rather they are designated to ‘areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance [emphasis added]’ according to current planning legislation. They can apply to pretty much anything and differ wildly in nature – they can be a row of historically significant terraced houses, a local park, or even trees and other street-level decoration. Local planning authorities are ‘obliged to designate’ along with advice from Historic England, any spaces that they believe to encompass the 1990 Planning Act’s broad specifications, as well as their review, upkeep and constant observation. They will be recorded in each LA’s Local Plan.
They were brought in essentially as a response to infrastructure that was built to accommodate the motorcar boom and mass consumerism that was encouraged in the 1950s. Back then, much of the old street layouts that had developed to facilitate the horse and cart were seen as outdated, and to bring more custom to town centres built for a time gone by, roads had to be widened and existing buildings knocked down to do so.
Inner-city traffic jams were a constant feature of London life in the 1950s and 60s (Wikimedia Commons)
Much of the old architecture, it was thought, would have to make way for new roads and civic and shopping centres and in the 1960s over 500 listed buildings were being demolished each year – compared to 90 in 1992, and just a handful today. This was not to do, and to prevent any further expansion into the cherished heritage sites local civic trusts emerged with the intention of protecting historical buildings and places. Over a few years the widely backed clamour from these groups forced the government to introduce the Conservation Area to the country’s planning legislation.
Birmingham Town Centre after its ‘regeneration’ with widened streets and new buildings (Birmingham Mail)
But what do Conservation Areas actually mean for those who live in them?
Of course, one of the main reasons somebody may wish to live in a Conservation Area is for the aesthetic qualities or historical significance of its buildings or the environment that surrounds them. On a policy level this means that any alterations to buildings can only be made with strict permission from the local planning authorities in line with the local development plan. Any restrictions will be unique to that specific locality as each CA possesses its own singular qualities for which it has been designated in the first place.
Practically this means that there are greater limits on transforming a property, even its interior, than in non-designated areas, and even those that are allowed will take more time, perhaps prove more costly, and involve a great deal more admin to gain permission. Rather than simply taking into account what an alteration may do to just one building, anyone involved when it occurs within a Conservation Area will have to observe the impact this may have on a far, far broader scale. However, this part of the process would likely be hashed out between a conveyance solicitor, Chartered Surveyor and the local authority, with the result decided on by the planners unlikely to change.
Some may dislike the idea of residing in a CA considering how little they can alter a building that they own, and sometimes when individuals come face to face with this strict planning legislation issues can come to a head. There have certainly been more than a handful of high-profile cases in which celebrities have butted heads with local councils over their desire to build in Conservation Areas. Benedict Cumberbatch’s failed plan for an enormous shed and Boy George’s rejected garish glazed extension, both opposed by Camden Council, stand out as prime examples.
Yet generally, those who live in CAs don’t seem to have much of a problem with the stringent restrictions on their ability to change the buildings they own. Indeed, many move to them because they can experience the unique character that such restrictions cultivate, and they acknowledge that any attempt to alter their buildings could have a significant negative impact on the environment it’s part of.
A section of the Roupell Street Conservation Area near Waterloo in London, an area that would have almost certainly been demolished to make way for development had it not been protected (Wikimedia Commons)
In a talk at Gresham College, the architectural historian and former head of English Heritage, Simon Thurley, spoke of how, in fact, there is little negative opinion when it comes to the controls in themselves. Even within a CA those who wish to make a change are the same people who are most pro the strict legislation, and amongst the general population there is a significant positive outlook. Thurley cites the 93% of adults who believe it vitally important to preserve historic features when changes are being made to an area. It is generally held that heritage and conservation sites bind a community together – whether it be a neighbourhood or an entire country – through an appreciation and acknowledgment of a shared history.
Further still, not only do these rules conserve an area, they also conserve the prices of the homes and land that fall within them, in part because original and characterful features are one of the most desirable qualities in a home (bar a roof and heating of course). When adjusted for size (generally those in a CA tend to be larger), a house will sell for 10% more than one outside a CA.
Some consider this a reinforcing of inequality in certain areas with a high number of CAs, pricing certain demographics out of more picturesque localities. But this increased price doesn’t necessarily mean houses that fall within them are all inordinately expensive though, as many CAs cover buildings that fall into the lowest council tax band and which don’t have their own protections – buildings that aren’t necessarily significant on their own, but which together foster a notable historical habitat. 80% of the buildings constructed pre-, and 99.5% post-1851 have no protections, but without them these remarkable heritage environments would disappear.
So, Conservation Areas seem ideal right?
Well, maybe not. While they may be in support of the planning rules, many CA residents find they feel as though they have little influence over how where they live looks and feels. Even consultations with locals seem to fail to change this (perhaps quite accurate) perception. It may not seem like much, but it can become disheartening for residents if their views on how things should be cannot be listened to because it may not fall in line with the precise lines set out in the planning documentation.
Even if they do comply with legislation, it can be unlikely that a cash strapped local authority will enact the desires of its community in full simply due to a lack of funds – though this is not unique to those in a CA.
This can be compounded when developers and their Section 106 or Community Infrastructure Levies, which may increase school or library numbers, or provide the council with funds to complete other community projects, override the conservation commitments of a council and lead them to ignore their own planning guidance. Not only can this undermine the CA itself, and the very reason many had moved to the area in the first place, but it can also work to further withdraw agency from those who have put the effort in to making code-compliant requests.
Certain policies are in place, such as Section 215 notices, which can judge new land or buildings to be “harmful” to the local area, or Article 4 restrictions which prevent the enforcements of Permitted Development Rights, but these seem to be becoming few and far between. At a time when most local authorities are struggling financially, sometimes cash must take priority, to what some may consider the detriment of the special character of an area.
Ultimately, whatever one’s views on Conservation Areas, we hope that this article has made clear how they can be interpreted by those who live in or wish to move to them. They are an important feature of our country’s planning legislation and should certainly be strongly considered should anybody wish to reside or build in one.
Luckily, WaInsight can provide anybody with detailed data on to what extent an area falls within a Conservation Area and the implications this may have for one’s property. If you wish to find out more about our product or Conservation Areas, please don’t hesitate to visit walulel.com or email sam@walulel.com!