What are Conservation Areas?

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 gives Local Planning Authorities the power to designate Conservation Areas. These are areas that are ‘of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’. Milton Keynes Council has so far designated 27 conservation areas in the towns and villages within and surrounding the new town. There is no conservation area for Central Milton Keynes.

Conservation areas are designated by Local Planning Authorities on the basis of the quality and interest of the area rather than the merits of individual buildings. Historic and later buildings, the historic layout of property boundaries and street patterns, characteristic materials, views, hard and soft landscaping, roofscape, the quality of shop fronts, advertisements and street furniture, green open spaces and other landscape characteristics all contribute to the special character and appearance of the area.

The following articles address in detail some of the key issues and procedures for development within Conservation Areas:

• What Are the Additional Restrictions Within a Conservation Area?
  

• Conservation Area Consent
  

• Trees in Conservation Areas
  

• Determination of Applications
  

• Article 4 Directions
  

• Conservation Area Reviews

• Policy Framework:
  

1. National Level
   
2. Local Level