Design and Conservation
Design Guidance
What is Design Guidance?
In order to ensure that the quality of new development in your District is continuously improved, a series of design guides and leaflets have been produced in the form of Supplementary Planning Guidance. The guides aim to assist you by clearly setting out the basic design principles the Local Planning Authority will expect to see and cover a range of development proposals including house extensions, advertisements and barn conversions. It is hoped that these guides will give greater certainty to all those involved in the design process and improve the standard of design.
For more information on Design Guidance, please e mail planning@horsham.gov.uk
Conservation Areas
Under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the Council has designated 37 parts of the District as Conservation Areas. This means that they are of a special architectural or historic interest that is desirable to preserve or enhance. Most of the conservation areas in the District are concentrated around the historic cores of villages and towns and include a range of property ages and types, from Wealden houses, Georgian manor houses, to Victorian terraces and can include modern developments. Gardens, trees, open space, landscaping and street and development layout also form an important part of the character of an area. Conservation areas are shown on the Proposals’ Maps.
Planning applications in Conservation Areas
Conservation Areas have extra controls on development. You may need to apply for planning permission to make alterations to your property including cladding or rendering your property or making alterations to roofs and chimneys. Some extensions and changes to outbuildings may also require permission.
Some Conservation Areas in the District have further controls as they are subject to an Article 4 direction. Permission is required for alterations to windows and external doors, hard standing, boundary walls and fences and driveways.
An application for either planning permission or conservation area consent will be assessed giving special regard to the character of the conservation area, and will be measured against policy DC12 of the General Development Control Policies, adopted by the Council in 2007.
Conservation Area Consent
Conservation Area Consent is required for the substantial demolition only of any building in a conservation area which has a volume of over 115 cubic metres.
How does it affect me?
If you live in a Conservation Area, then you will need to obtain Conservation Area Consent before you can demolish any dwelling or building or take down any trees. You can find out whether your property is located within a Conservation Area by telephoning the Planning Support Team on (01403) 215187 or e mail planning@horsham.gov.uk
How do I apply?
There is no fee for making an application for Conservation Area consent. Application forms are available from the Planning department by telephoning 01403 215187, or you can request application forms online.
For further information please contact the Development Management teams on 01403 215187or e mail planning@horsham.gov.uk