Building in a conservation area

Buckinghamshire Council can create, or 'designate', a conservation area. This will normally be somewhere of special architectural or historic interest that needs careful management to protect it.

Any development, whether it is construction, demolition, alteration or extension, may have an impact on a conservation area.

Additional controls within conservation areas include:

• planning permission to demolish buildings or structures (including walls)
• the need to provide heritage statements (sometimes called heritage impact assessments) as part of the application process
• the extent of permitted development (i.e. changes that are allowed without consent from Buckinghamshire Council) may be restricted; for example, replacement windows, alterations to cladding or the installation of satellite dishes. Additional control may be sought through Article 4 Directions, which specifically remove permitted development rights. Read more about Article 4 directions and permitted development rights on GOV.UK
• trees with a diameter of 75mm or greater, measured at 1.5m from soil level, are protected. Any work proposed to these trees requires permission from the local authority by means of a planning application. This allows the authority to determine whether a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is necessary

Find out which special rules may apply if you’re planning to build or make a change to a property in a conservation area.

View conservation areas in Buckinghamshire.

Find out more about conservation areas on the Planning Portal.