Conservation areas

The Civic Amenities Act of 1967 gave us a duty to designate “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”.

The policies that relate to all conservation areas are set out in the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan (UDP), which is the statutory development plan for Sheffield, adopted in March 1998.

The UDP will eventually be replaced by the Sheffield Plan (formerly the Local Plan or Sheffield Development Framework), which will become the city’s portfolio of local development documents.

Changes to your property through repair, replacement or alteration need to be in keeping with the character of the building but also to the area itself. 

The character of the area often comes from the materials and architecture that make it up. We would encourage any development to respect these elements. The way that buildings are laid out in the area may also have a direct impact on character.

Some conservation areas have extra controls placed upon them restricting you from doing certain work to your property without first seeking permission.

It is always a good idea to seek pre-application advice from a planning officer before starting any development. Unauthorised work which damages the character of the conservation area may be an offence.

Demolition

Demolition of buildings including walls may require planning permission. There is a presumption against demolition; however you should seek advice from a planning officer before you plan to do anything.

Solar Panels

In most cases putting Solar Panels on houses in a conservation area may be classed as 'permitted development' as long as it meets the relevant criteria. If you are in any doubt please contact the planning department directly to discuss your proposals.

If the house lies within Nether Edge or Broomhill Conservation Areas it may have an 'Article 4 Direction' upon it. Planning permission will therefore be required to install Panels on the roof slope fronting a highway.

Flats, shops and offices do not have permitted development rights so are all subject to planning permission.

We have a duty to periodically review our conservation areas and to publish proposals for their future preservation and enhancement. 

To enable us to do this we produce 2 documents for each area. These documents are called Conservation Area Appraisals and Conservation Area Management Proposals.

A Conservation Area Appraisal defines what contributes to the special character of an area and what is important to preserve or enhance. It may also highlight any issues that may require further action.

The Conservation Area Management Proposals take the findings of the Appraisal and present recommendations that will help to preserve and enhance the area in the future.