Understanding Planning Permissions in Conservation Areas

27 Dec

PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

In the UK, all houses typically come with permitted development rights, allowing homeowners to make certain changes to their homes, such as extensions, without needing planning permission. However, this scenario changes within conservation areas.

THE ROLE OF ‘ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION’

In a conservation area, these rights remain intact unless an 'Article 4 Direction' is applied by the local authority. If enforced, most external works to the property, including alterations and extensions, will require a full planning application.

NAVIGATING DESIGN GUIDELINES

When considering alterations, it's crucial to consult the council's conservation area design guide. This document provides information on acceptable alterations, offering insights into rear extensions and loft conversions. For conservation areas, the emphasis is on the building's exterior ascetics.

THIRD-PARTY CONSULTATIONS

In certain conservation areas, it's imperative to consider the views of community groups, trusts or other organisations like the Peabody Trust, who play a role in preserving the area's character. Acknowledging and engaging with these bodies can be pivotal in the application process.

HOW REES ARCHITECTS APPROACH DESIGN

Prioritising good design is key. At Rees Architects, we respect the building's original character while ensuring our designs integrate smoothly with the surrounding area. Enhancing the front of the house and garden, and its street visibility, often allows for more flexibility with rear modifications.

We strive for a balance between vibrant private spaces and community harmony. Our 100% success rate in securing planning approvals in conservation areas is a testament to our commitment to simplifying the process for homeowners, reducing planner interactions, and maintaining design integrity.

CASE STUDIES

We have worked in many conservation areas in London, including the following:

Aldersbrook Conservation Area (Aldersbrook)
Wanstead Village Conservation Area (Wanstead)
St Matthias Richmond Conservation Area (Wimbledon)
West Putney Conservation Area (Putney)
Swaton Road Conservation Area (Bow)
Redington Frognal Conservation Area (Hampstead Health)
Barnsbury Conservation Area (Islington)

Wanstead Village Conservation Area

For our Wanstead project, located in the Wanstead Village Conservation Area, we had to be mindful of the updates to the structure and layout we proposed due to the area. The cohesion we created in this project is mainly down to respecting the structures we are given to work with, which is particularly important when working on houses in conservation areas. We work with the characteristics of the property to ensure that any extension work exists in harmony with what’s already good about the space. Often this means maintaining architectural and period features, as well as repurposing material. With our Wanstead project, we retained as much of the original brickwork as we could from the walls that were removed. These were re-used in a way that creates interest, but also a sense of solidity that integrates with the existing structure.

Please send an email at hello@rees.archi if you have a project you would like to discuss.

Disclaimer: Please note that every project is different and should be treated as such. The above advice provided is in relation to a specific project, and you should always seek professional advice before embarking on your project.