Conservation areas

Conservation areas

From 4 November 2024, the legislative regime for conservation areas is fully separate in England and Wales.

Conservation areas are parts of localities designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (P(LBCA)A 1990) in England and the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (HE(W)A 2023) in Wales as areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance. See Practice Notes: Conservation areas in England—What are conservation areas? and Conservation areas in Wales—What are conservation areas?

Local planning authorities (LPAs) are primarily responsible for designating conservation areas. They are, pursuant to P(LBCA)A 1990, s 69(1) in England and HE(W)A 2023, s 158 in Wales, under a duty ‘from time to time’ 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’. They must designate those areas as conservation areas. See Practice Notes: Conservation areas in England—Designation of conservation areas and Conservation areas in Wales—Designation of conservation areas.

Demolition in a conservation area

The

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