Newquay Conservation Area

What is a Conservation Area?

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.

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