Conservation Areas

Paternoster Row, Ottery St Mary

The Policy and Conservation Team offers guidance and advice to owners, agents, researchers and the general public on a range of conservation issues, including appropriate repair methods for historic buildings. The Countryside Team deal with landscape and wildlife conservation issues.

Our Customer Service Officers handle general queries. For example, whether a building is listed or if a property is within a conservation area. For further information, visit the Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth; opening hours are 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Conservation Officers may give more detailed advice on the extent of listing and specific proposals including repair and alteration of listed buildings.

For advice on schemes that will require planning, listed building or conservation area consent please contact the development control team in the first instance. Development control officers will then liaise with conservation officers. In some instances the District Council will also seek the advice of English Heritage.

Conservation Areas

The District Council has powers to declare an "area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to conserve or enhance to be a Conservation Area". Such declaration introduces a general control over the demolition of unlisted buildings and provides the basis for policies designed to preserve or enhance all the aspects of character or appearance that define an area's special interest. Apart from a few minor exceptions, no building can be demolished without prior approval (conservation area consent) and six weeks notice must be given if any tree is to be cut down or lopped.

There are 33 designated Conservation Areas within East Devon, covering the historic areas of many towns and villages. - PDF file To view a list of Conservation Areas and the date of designation please click here. (49KB - PDF Help)

Click here to download a Conservation Area Consent application form.

Conservation Area Appraisals.

There is a requirement under Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 for all local authorities to review their conservation areas and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. Reviews must be carried out every five years as the character and appearance of a conservation area can change over even small periods of time. A series of interim reviews for all 33 conservation areas will be published in Spring 2008. The purpose of this interim review is to identify the principal changes since the publication of the 1999 Conservation Area Appraisal and to outline potential changes to the conservation area boundary which will form part of a full consultation exercise. The comprehensive review of each Conservation Appraisal appears below in pdf format. Details of the Conservation Area Appraisal for each of the Conservation Areas within East Devon can be seen through the links to the right.

Any queries regarding these should be directed to Stephen Guy, Principal Conservation officer, on 01395 516551 ext 2056 or e-mail: sguy@eastdevon.gov.uk