Conservation Areas

Conservation Area Consultations:

Mid Beds is committed to reviewing the boundaries of its Conservation Areas and to producing appraisals of them to set out why they are of special interest, (policy CHE 9 of the Mid Bedfordshire Local Plan: First Review: Adopted December 2005).

Your views are very important to this process. We are carrying out a rolling programme of consultations in our Conservation Areas in Mid Beds. Once consultations have been completed for a Conservation Area, the boundaries and the appraisal documents will then be amended, put to the Council and approved for Development Control purposes.

Shillington, Apsley End and Flitton Conservation Areas are the latest to be reviewed and were adopted in October 2006.

Contacts: If you would like further information or paper copies of the various Conservation Area documents, please contact the Conservation and Design Team on 01462 611405.

What is a ConservationArea?

Conservation Areas are designated by local planning authorities as areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and there are now more than 8,000 throughout the country. They may vary in character, form and size from a small group of buildings to a major part of a town, but their designation means that they are all worthy of protection as areas of special merit. They usually contain buildings which are "listed", but this is not a prerequisite of designation. The legislation relating to conservation areas is set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and Government guidance is contained within another important document, Planning Policy Guidance: Planning and the Historic Environment, more commonly referred to as PPG15. Copies of both of these documents can be viewed at the Planning Division.

Conservation Areas in Mid Bedfordshire

Mid Bedfordshire District currently has 39 designated conservation areas and new areas are considered periodically, for instance, Wrest Park. They vary from the centre of Biggleswade to small settlements such as Blunham, to Potton and Ampthill with market places surrounded by listed buildings. Each of these areas is unique, with its own "sense of place", providing a variety of open spaces, buildings and trees which give an area its special character. Policies which seek the protection and enhancement of conservation areas are included within the Mid Beds Local Plan. These policies follow Government's advice in PPG15 and seek to ensure that new development accords with the special character of the area concerned. In considering new development in conservation areas, the Council will expect applicants to submit detailed plans and elevations, and they may also be asked to provide additional information to show the likely impact of their proposals on the surrounding area. Since 2001, 15 appraisals have taken place and are as follows:

Millbrook

July 2001

Shefford

July 2001

Potton

May 2002

Sandy

December 2003

Clifton

March 2004

Northill

May 2004

Silsoe

June 2004

Ampthill

April 2005

Biggleswade

April 2005

Steppingley

May 2005

Ickwell

May 2005

Blunham

June 2005

Wrest Park

June 2005

Milton Bryan

February 2006

Old Warden & Old Warden Park

Shillington

Apsley End

Flitton

March 2006

October 2006

October 2006

October 2006


Some of the above Conservation Area documents are available to download through this link. Hard copies can also be purchased by contacting Sally Hicks on 01462 611353.

What does Designation mean?

Conservation Area designation increases the Council's control over demolition of buildings. New proposals requiring planning permission will be assessed on the basis of whether the character or appearance of the Conservation Area is preserved or enhanced; such proposals may include:

  • Extending the building by more than 50 cubic metres, or 10%, whichever is greater;
  • Erecting or altering a building, such as a garden shed, in the curtilage of a dwellinghouse which is larger than 10 cubic metres;
  • Installing external cladding such as weatherboarding or false stone;
  • Installing roof dormers;
  • Fixing a satellite dish to a chimney or to a building over 15 metres high, or to a wall facing a highway;
  • Installing radio masts, antennae or radio equipment

This list is not definitive and you should contact the Planning Division if you are in any doubt about whether or not you need planning permission.

Buildings in non-residential use (such as shops and offices) and buildings in multiple occupation (such as flats or bedsits) are covered by separate legislation and generally have no "permitted development" rights.

Demolition in Conservation Areas

Following publication of Circular 14/97, Conservation Area Consent (CAC) is required for the total or substantial demolition of any building with a total cubic content in excess of 115 cubic metres in a conservation area. Consent is also required for the total or substantial demolition of a boundary wall over one metre high adjoining a highway, or over two metres high elsewhere. If the building is listed, in ecclesiastical use or a scheduled ancient monument, different legislation applies.

Trees

Trees contribute greatly to the character and appearance of a conservation area, and designation provides a general protection for all trees over a certain size within the area. Some trees may already be protected by a specific Tree Preservation Order, but for all others you must give the Council six weeks written notice before lopping or felling them.

Trees have legal protection equivalent to a TPO for that period and the Council may make an Order if it is considered appropriate. Fruit trees cultivated for fruit production are exempt, as are trees with trunks less than 7.5cms in diameter at 1.5m above the ground. Once a tree is protected by a TPO, the consent of the Council must be obtained for any work to that tree, whatever its size.

Further Information

For further information please contact:

Conservation & Design Team
Mid Beds District Council
Priory House, Monks Walk
Chicksands
Beds
SG17 5TQ

Tel: 08452 30 40 40

Email: customer.services@midbeds.gov.uk

Linked documents:

* Download Old Warden Conservation Area (image/jpeg; 5kb)

* Download Milton Bryan Conservation Area (image/jpeg; 6kb)

* Download Millbrook_Conservation_Area (image/jpeg; 13kb)

* Download Potton_Conservation_Area (image/jpeg; 10kb)

* Download Shefford_Conservation_Area (image/jpeg; 13kb)