What are the restrictions on development in a Conservation Area?
Conservation area restrictions
Outside of a conservation area, there are types of work that people are generally allowed to do without the need for planning permission (as defined under the General Permitted Development Order 2015. This is know as permitted development.
In a conservation area such as ours there are certain things, that do however need planning permission. This applies to all houses within the conservation area. These include
- Demolishing a building with a volume of 115 cubic metres or more.
- Demolishing a gate, fence, or wall :
- a height of one metre or more if next to a highway (including a public footpath or bridleway), waterway or open space; or
- a height of two metres or more elsewhere
Additional restrictions under the Article 4 (2) Direction
In addition those properties covered by Article 4(2) are legally obliged to apply for planning permission for certain other alterations that front or face the street. These include house and garden walls, gates, windows, doors, roofs, driveways, and paths. Repainting or like-for-like repairs are not included.
Does consevation status or the article 4(2) direction mean that development is not allowed?
An article 4 direction only means that a particular development cannot be carried out under normal permitted development rights and therefore needs a planning application. This gives a local planning authority the opportunity to consider a proposal in more detail. Article 4 per se does not prohibit any work you may want to carry out, it merely means you need to apply for planning permission.
Is your house included under the Article 4(2) direction?
- Properties shown with red numbers are not covered by Article 4(2) but are still classed as included within the conservation area. (Blocks of flats are not covered and are shown in orange)
- Properties shown in yellow are are included in the Article 4(2) and are *”typical John Smith design” (1910 – c. 1926)
- Properties shown in blue are also included in the Article 4(2) and built in other styles. These include some built during the initial development period (1910 – c. 1926) and some built later.
Please note that this is work in progress, if you spot any errors in classification or have any historical information please let us know. For example, werw 1 – 5 Highfiled Road built by John Smith, though not in the same style as the other streets?
Original John Smith development: 1911 – 1926
*Typical John Smith style means those properties which were part of John Smith’s original development 1911 to c. 1926, e.g. see here. There are later properties that were built to emulate or “pay tribute” to that style. e.g. 18 Leigh Road (2009) 33 Blenheim Avenue (2000)
Note that not all properties built during the original development were of the “John Smith style.” Most of these were probably designed by other architects (TBC). This includes many of the houses on the west (common) side of Westbourne Crescent.
Later infill development
The majority of houses later than 1930 were built on infill sites, for example 36 -44 Blenheim Avenue were built on the large plot that originally served as John Smith’s yard and offices. Others built on are plots that presumably did not sell during the original development. Some houses were built following WWII due to bomb damage (10 and 32 Oakmount Avenue).