Conservation Areas

E2 Conservation Areas BE2: Conservation Areas 1. Proposed new buildings, extensions, alterations or changes of use to existing buildings in a Conservation Area, will be required to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. Development proposals should have regards to the siting, the established pattern of development, density, scale, bulk, height, design and external appearance. 2. Materials - Natural materials which match in type, colour and texture, or are very similar to, the materials used in existing buildings, should be used. 3. Views - Any proposed development should preserve or enhance, the important views within, looking out of, or into a Conservation Area. 4. Demolition - The Council will give permission for the demolition of an unlisted building in conservation area unless the building is considered to make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of a Conservation Area or it is designated as a local heritage asset. 5. Trees - The council will seek to retain any tree in sound condition which makes a significant contribution to the character or appearance of a Conservation Area by reason of its position, size, shape and/or foliage characteristics, and its amenity value protected. To achieve this objective, a Tree Preservation Order will be made in appropriate cases. 7.402 Buckinghamshire Council, as Local Planning Authority, is required to consider which parts of its area are "areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance", and to designate such areas as "Conservation Areas". Conservation areas are locally designated heritage assets. 7.403 Conservation Areas can include groups of listed or non-Listed buildings, historic village greens and open spaces, important trees, unusual distinctive historic field patterns closely associated with a historic settlement (where these have a -wide significance), historic parkland, linear features such as canals and railways, well-preserved archaeological remains and/or surviving historic street patterns. When defining a conservation area, it is the special architectural or historic interest of the whole area, rather than the merits of individual buildings and features, that is important. Interest may be characterised by uniformity of architectural style or variety. 7.404 The National Planning Policy Framework sets out guidelines for development in Conservation Areas. Existing Conservation Areas 7.404 Buckinghamshire Council has 179 Conservation Areas (as at 24/1/25). Their locations and their boundaries are shown on the adopted Policies Map. In most cases there are documents which explain the reasons for designation and describe the history, special interest and characteristics of each Conservation Area which are available on the council website 22. 7.405 These documents will be a material consideration when dealing with planning applications. This Conservation Area policy will apply to any new or altered Conservation Areas designated during the period of this Local Plan. 7.406 Buckinghamshire has commenced a programme to review all the existing conservation areas. Whilst positive change should be welcomed as an important part of the organic growth of a settlement, there is always a risk that development may harm an area’s special interest. 7.407 Development immediately adjacent to, or within the setting of, a conservation area can greatly influence the character and appearance of the area. Development that does not reflect the traditional form, layout and scale of buildings within the conservation area can have an adverse effect and will not be supported. 7.408 The protection of the views within, looking into and out of Conservation Areas is fundamental in conserving their special character or appearance. For a variety of reasons, including the lie of the land, developments at some distance from a Conservation Area could intrude upon views of it and detract from its character or appearance unless special care is taken to avoid this. The need to safeguard important Conservation Area views is acknowledged in Central Government guidance. The Conservation Area leaflets referred to include plans showing 22 https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/conservation-heritage-andarchaeology/heritage/conservation-areas-in-buckinghamshire/. important Conservation Area views. These leaflets should not be interpreted as indicating that these views are the only ones which should be safeguarded. When individual proposals are considered, it may become apparent that there are other important views which warrant protection. Permitted Development 7.409 Within a conservation area the amount of development that could be erected without the need for planning permission is reduced. The stricter rules are intended to ensure that the correct checks are in place to prevent harm to the significance of the heritage asset. In determining applications relating to conservation areas, the council has a statutory duty to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the conservation area. The council is also required under NPPF to consider whether the proposal will cause harm to the significance of the heritage asset. If harm is likely to be caused, this must be weighed in the wider planning balance. Trees 7.410 In a Conservation Area, trees which are not already subject to a Tree Preservation Order are automatically protected to the extent that anyone wishing to cut down, top, lop or uproot such a tree, must give the Council six weeks' notice in writing of the intention. This gives the Council the opportunity to consider the merits of the proposal and to make a Tree Preservation Order where appropriate. This protection does not apply to hedges, bushes or shrubs, nor to trees with a trunk diameter less than 75 mm (3 inches) at a point 1.5 m (5 ft) above ground level, nor to fruit trees cultivated for fruit production. The penalties for contravening these controls are like those for Tree Preservation Orders. 7.411 Trees are often an important part of the character or appearance of Conservation Areas and in some places, they dominate that character. Therefore, the Council will generally aim to retain trees where they are in a healthy condition and positively contribute to area character or appearance. However, in some cases other considerations may take precedence and no Tree Preservation Order will be made. B