Conservation Areas

What is the Built Environment about?

The historic environment is all around us and creates a sense of place and local identity. It connects people with place, and with traditions, stories and memories linked to those places. It provides continuity with the past, but also accommodates change and helps places adapt for the present and future. Historic buildings and places have their own intrinsic cultural, social, educational and spiritual value.

The built historic environment is the physical evidence of past human activity. It could take the form of a medieval castle, a stately home, a townscape or a landscape. It could be a factory, mill, house, or storefront.

Historic buildings are important for the regeneration of our cities, towns, and rural areas. They're durable and versatile, allowing them to remain in use over the years and become a key part of today's infrastructure.

Historic sites and buildings are also key to the tourism industry, attracting visitors from around the world and boosting local tourism. The tourism sector plays a major role in the Cornish economy.

What is a Conservation Area?

The importance of understanding the character and appearance of an area is a key part of local and Neighbourhood plans as well as national policy. It is essential when assessing Conservation areas.

Conservation areas exist to manage and protect the special architectural and historic interest of a place in other words, the features that make it unique. Every local authority in England has at least one conservation area and there are around 10,000 in England.

Conservation areas can vary in size and character. Many contain individual, groups and clusters of buildings that are also listed. It is the quality and interest of the area as a whole that merits Conservation Area status. Most conservation areas are designated by the Council as the local planning authority.

There are currently 3 ongoing Conservation Area projects:

• Newquay
• Falmouth
• Halsetown

What does designation mean?

Conservation area designation introduces some additional controls over the way owners can alter or develop their properties.

These controls include:

• The requirement in legislation and national planning policies to preserve and/or enhance, as discussed further in the NPPF and the PPG
• Local planning policies which pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area
• Control over demolition of unlisted buildings
• Control over works to trees
• Limitations on the types of advertisements which can be displayed with deemed consent
• Restriction on the types of development which can be carried out without the need for planning permission (permitted development rights)
• Support for the use of article 4 directions to remove permitted development rights where avoidable damage is occurring
• Clarification of archaeological interest, thereby assisting its protection