Conservation areas: permissions required

Information of what permissions you may require from the local planning authority when you wish to do any works on trees in a conservation area or any demolition work.

There are essentially two consent regimes which apply above the normal planning permission requirements - conservation area consent and tree works notifications. Further information on tree works can be found on the Trees in Conservation Areas and/or Subject to a Tree Preservation Order page of the web site.

Conservation area consent

Conservation area consent is required if you wish to do any of the following :-

1. demolish a building which has a total cubic content exceeding 115 cubic metres (as ascertained by external measurement) or any part of such a building, other than a pre-1925 tombstone (pre-1925 tombstone means a monument or memorial to a deceased person which was erected before 1 January 1925).
2. demolish any gate, wall, fence or means of enclosure which is less than one metre high where abutting on a highway (including a public footpath or bridleway), waterway or open space, or less than two metres high in any other case;
3. demolish any building erected since 1 January 1914 and in use, or last used, for the purposes of agriculture or forestry (meaning the growing of a utilisable crop of timber);
4. demolish any building virtue of an order made under section 102 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended);
5. demolish any building by virtue of any provision of an agreement made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended);
6. demolish any building in respect of which the provisions of an enforcement notice issued under section 172 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended); or sections 38 or 46 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 require its demolition, in whole or part, however expressed;
7. demolish any building by virtue of a condition of a planning permission granted under section 70 or section 177(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended);
8. demolish any building by virtue of a notice served under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended);
9. demolish any building to which a demolition order made under part 9 of the Housing Act 1985 applies;
10. demolish any building included in a compulsory purchase order made under the provisions of part 9 of the Housing Act 1985 and confirmed by the Secretary of State;
11. demolish a redundant building (within the meaning of the Pastoral Measure 1983) where demolition is in pursuance of a pastoral or redundancy scheme (within the meaning of that Measure).

How do I apply for conservation area consent

There are essentially 3 ways you can apply for conservation area consent.

You can apply online using the Planning Portal. This enables you to submit you application electronically.

You can also download a copy of the application form and guidance notes below. These documents relate to an application for conservation area consent only. If you require another form of permission as well, please go to the how to submit a Planning (or associated) Application web page.

Application form 10

Notes for guidance

Checklist for Application Form 10 (PDF Document, 198.1 Kb)

Further information on the Council’s validation document can also be found on the how to submit a Planning (or associated) Application web page.

Alternatively a paper copy of the forms can be collected from the Council Offices or sent out to you on request.