Conservation Areas

The District Councils have a duty in section 69 of the Planning Act 1990 that they shall: ‘determine which parts of their areas are of special architectural or historical interest in the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.’ These are called Conservation Areas. A conservation area is usually a small area within a village or town that the District Council has defined as of special architectural or historical 'character'. Character is defined as a combination of the historical significance, the way the area looks and the uses of the area.

Character appraisals are written for conservation areas to explain why the area is important and to set out strategies for conserving and enhancingthat special character. They can be useful to help raise the standards of future development so that it does not detract from the special character of a conservation area, if they are adopted as supplementary planning guidance. They can also be helpful to include in funding bids for conservation schemes or to mobilise local volunteer conservation programmes and to contribute to marketing, tourism and the regeneration of an area.

Character appraisals can also be done in combination with a wider village design statement, village appraisal or parish plan that will involve the whole community.

• Click for a map of Conservation Areas in Aylesbury Vale.
• Click for information about Conservation Areas in South Bucks District.
• Advice on Conservation Areas in the Chiltern District can be found on their website.
• Click for information on conservation and the built heritage on Wycombe District Council’s website.

Click to go back to advice on other types of conservation.

Click to find more heritage resources.