Cookie Consent by Privacy Policies Generator website

This is a test site, not for public use

Information on this site may be out of date and is only intended for use by DBC staff for testing. The live website is available at:

www.darlington.gov.uk


This box is intentionally ugly!

Conservation areas

What is a conservation area?

Under section 69(1)(a) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, a conservation area is ‘an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’.

Such areas are not only defined by the buildings they include but also other elements such as road and footpath networks, public and private spaces, boundary treatments, features in the public realm (e.g. street furniture), ground surfacing, trees and green spaces, water, topography and the wider (landscape) setting.

A building or other element may contribute in a positive, neutral or negative way to the character or appearance of a conservation area by its location, alignment, orientation, overall size and shape, materials, texture and colour, its design details including any features, use type(s), age, and any alteration(s) it may have experienced over time, its relationship with surrounding buildings and other elements of interest (e.g. group value), as well as how it is perceived in public views.

 

Example – West End Conservation Area

Holy Trinity Church and the terrace to the right are prominent buildings along this historical route.

Whilst the church is built in stone, of comparatively more complex shape and in public (religious) use, the terrace is constructed of red brick, linear in shape and in private (mainly residential) use. Despite these differences, the buildings harmonise with each other and their surroundings by being aligned parallel yet at a distance to the road, as well as due to the generous amount of space and vegetation that surrounds them, including mature trees.

In addition, both buildings are fronted by stone boundary  walls – with the church’s including ornate stone piers – which provide a ‘buffer’ to the very busy road. Modern street furniture features a bus shelter and painted bollards which blend in with the character and appearance of the area.

 

 

There are currently 17 conservation areas in Darlington Borough:

Bishopton Conservation Area:
Coatham Mundeville Conservation Area:
Cockerton Conservation Area:
Denton Conservation Area:
Haughton-le-Skerne Conservation Area:
Heighington Conservation Area:
High Coniscliffe Conservation Area:
Hurworth Conservation Area:
Middleton One Row Conservation Area:
Northgate Conservation Area:
Parkgate Conservation Area:
Piercebridge Conservation Area:
Sadberge Conservation Area:
Summerhouse Conservation Area:
Town Centre Conservation Area:
Victoria Embankment Conservation Area:
West End Conservation Area:

You can also use this map to find out whether you live in a conservation area:

 

How are conservation areas designated?

Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires local planning authorities to determine which parts of their area are ‘areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ and designate them as conservation areas.

Following designation, the local planning authority has a duty to review their conservation area boundaries from time to time and make amendments where necessary.

New conservation area designations and reviews of existing areas are usually carried out in the form of providing a draft appraisal which will go out to public consultation.

In the light of any comments received, the document will then be amended, finalised and formally adopted by the Council (see links to adopted appraisals above).

 

What effect does conservation area designation have?

Planning permission may be required to carry out certain types of minor development inside conservation areas that is otherwise be permitted.

Further permitted development rights can be removed from the whole or parts of a conservation area by imposing Article 4 directions, as was carried out for the Northgate Conservation Area in 2006, see link above.

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 sets out permitted development rights and, under Schedule 2, their removal from conservation areas (which are defined as ‘Article 2(3) land’ in the Order), as well as directions restricting permitted development under Article 4.

Whilst not a barrier to change, such measures help to ensure that new development is in keeping with the character and appearance of a conservation area.

 

Do I require planning permission?

Darlington Borough Council does not give out advice on whether planning permission is required for any development; we also do not provide free heritage advice.

Information on whether planning permission is required and how to apply can be found in the Planning application and permission section of our website.

Alternatively, use the Planning Portal for information and guides (link at the bottom of this page) or seek professional advice from a third party.

 

Conservation areas at risk

Conservation areas can become ‘at risk’ due to their poor state of maintenance or, as is more often the case, due to the negative impact that modern development or other changes can have on the special architectural or historic interest of the area.

Examples of the latter include the removal of historical features (e.g. original windows/doors or cobbled surfacing) and their replacement with unsympathetic modern products, the demolition of traditional buildings and other elements of interest, and the construction of modern structures which are not in keeping with the character and appearance of the area.

Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register 2022 includes the following conservation areas: Northgate, Victoria Embankment and West End. Darlington Borough Council is currently working with Historic England to find ways to take the three conservation areas off the register.

Further information

Historic England (2019) Conservation Area Appraisal, Designation and Management. Historic England Advice Note 1 (Second Edition) [External link]

Historic England (2022) Heritage at Risk. North East & Yorkshire Register 2022 [External link]

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 [External link] 

Planning Portal website  [External link]

Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 [External link]

 

 

Install our web app.