Conservation areas

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest, which have a particular character or appearance worth preserving or enhancing. Groups of buildings, walls, trees and hedges, open spaces, views and the historic settlement patterns all combine to create an individual sense of place. It is this character, rather than individual buildings, that a conservation area seeks to protect.

Cheltenham has seven conservation areas including the substantial Central Conservation Area:

Central conservation area

Designated by Gloucestershire County Council in May 1973, the conservation area boundary was extended by Cheltenham Borough Council on 14 August 1987. It covers around 599 hectares.

Character summary

The central conservation area includes the whole of the town centre, most of the Victorian, Edwardian and some of the later 20th century suburbs. It covers commercial, industrial, retail and residential areas, as well as the university campus complexes, some extensive school campuses and the hospital complex.

Due to the size of the central conservation area, it has been split into 19 character areas in order to effectively analyse its diverse character. A character appraisal and management plan has been adopted for each of these character areas. The appraisal outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and the management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of the area.

Cudnall Street (Charlton Kings) conservation area

Designated by Cheltenham Borough Council on 2 October 1989, its boundary was revised on 15 November 2001. The area covers around 4.75 hectares.

Character summary

Cudnall Street contains a high number of statutory and locally listed buildings, allowing the area to be rich in historic and architectural interest.

The area has retained its unique historic character and qualities through the visual dominance of historically and architecturally important buildings, the retention of their attractive settings and historic plot boundaries.

The area also has a diverse mix of building type, style, age and function. The different size blocks, varied roof lines and mix of architectural features adds to the special interest of the conservation area.

Cudnall Street forms an important road within the conservation aea. It was historically named London Road and forms part of the ancient route through Charlton Kings across country to London.

A supplementary planning document has been produced for Cudnall Street (Charlton Kings) conservation area. It was adopted by council on 29 June 2009. The SPD outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and a management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of this area. The SPD will be used as a material consideration in determining planning and related applications. It replaces supplementary planning guidance produced in 2003.

Bafford (Charlton Kings) conservation area

Designated by Cheltenham Borough Council on 2 October 1989, its boundary was revised on 15 November 2001. The area covers around 3.75 hectares.

Character summary

The conservation area has an interesting mix of building styles and ages. Bucklehaven Almshouses provide an important contribution to the built environment and history of the conservation area. The Bucklehaven almshouses are planned within formal grounds. In comparison, the houses along Bafford Lane are loosely set out along the curving lane, within large plots. There are a number of narrow footpaths both within and surrounding the conservation area, some of which are historic.

The conservation area is well concealed, surrounded by suburbs which date from the 1960s and 1970s, giving the area within a hidden and secretive character. The green environment makes a significant contribution to forming the character of the area, with a large number of green spaces and mature trees.

Southfield Brook and Lilley Brook determine part of the boundary to the conservation area, and have a significant physical presence within the area.

A SPD has been produced for Bafford (Charlton Kings) conservation area. It was adopted by council on 29 June 2009. The SPD outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and a management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of this area. The SPD will be used as a material consideration in determining planning and related applications. It replaces supplementary planning guidance produced in 2003.

Poets (St Mark's) conservation area

Designated by Cheltenham Borough Council on 21 May 2001, the area covers around 26 hectares.

Character summary

The Poets comprises a carefully planned and laid-out residential suburb, which was built in the years immediately after the First World War. Houses are set in well spaced plots which create a unifying rhythm along the street. Roads are often tree-lined with the trees forming a distinctive visual characteristic of the area. The overall form and layout of the development is based upon 'garden city' principles.

There is a strong influence of the Arts and Crafts movement to be found in the architecture of the houses, including features such as gables, hipped roofs, sweeping cat-slide rooflines and steeply pitched clay tile roofs with chimney stacks.

The road junctions within the conservation area are defined by the planned and formal arrangement of houses around them. The junctions also create an interesting visual symmetry as houses on opposite sides of the road to one another are often identical.

A SPD has been produced for the Poets (St Mark's) conservation area. It was adopted by council on 29 June 2009. The SPD outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and a management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of this area. The SPD will be used as a material consideration in determining planning and related applications. It replaces supplementary planning guidance produced in 2003.

Prestbury conservation area

Designated by Gloucestershire County Council on 15 August 1971, its boundary was revised by Cheltenham Borough Council on 26 July 2001. It covers 26 hectares.

Character summary

Prestbury has retained its unique village character and qualities through the visual dominance of historically and architecturally important buildings and the retention of their attractive historic settings.

Prestbury conservation area has a varied mix of building type, style, age and function. This adds to the special interest of the conservation area through the visual architectural variety of buildings, their varied details and materials, and their varied relationships to each other, as well as the varied uses of buildings and land. 

Mature tree growth, extensive open spaces and historic buildings positioned in large plots adds to a sense of space in some areas of the conservation area. The existence of Cotswold stone walls form a distinctive feature within the conservation area and contribute to shaping its identity.

A SPD has been produced for Prestbury conservation area. It was adopted by council on 29 June 2009. The SPD outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and a management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of this area. The SPD will be used as a material consideration in determining planning and related applications. It replaces supplementary planning guidance produced in 2003.

Swindon Village conservation area

Designated by Tewkesbury Borough Council on 11 November 1986. The area covers around 16 hectares.

Character summary

The village has a long history dating back to the 10th century. The Church of St Lawrence contains a Norman tower, dating back to around 1100AD. The area has a diverse mix of building types and styles including grand historic buildings dating from the 17th and 19th centuries.

The area has retained its unique character and appearance through the dominance of historically and architecturally important buildings and their historic settings. Large areas of open space and mature tree growth contribute significantly to the overall appearance and character of the area. 

The SPD provides a written assessment of the area's special interest and character. The appraisal outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and the management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of the area.

St Mary's conservation area

Designated by Cheltenham Borough Council on 2 October 1989, its boundary was revised on 3 September 2001. The area covers around 12 hectares.

Character summary

St Mary's has two distinctive character areas within it. The first character area comprises the older part of Charlton Kings, around St Mary's Church which has a strong historic village character. This older part developed substantially in the 16th century. The second character area comprises turn of the 19th - 20th century red brick houses along Copt Elm Road , Lyefield Road East and Lyefield Road West.

The area has retained its village character and qualities through the visual dominance of historically and architecturally important buildings, the retention of their attractive settings and many historic plot boundaries. This character is particularly evident around St Mary's Church. The red brick houses along Copt Elm Road , Lyefield Road East and Lyefield Road West form a visually distinctive group, which contribute to establishing the identity of the conservation area.

Charlton Kings has rich historic and archaeological interest, containing three of Cheltenham's six scheduled ancient monuments. The conservation area itself contains one of these three scheduled ancient monuments, this being the Churchyard cross in St Mary's Churchyard.

A SPD has been produced for St Mary's (Charlton Kings)conservation area. It was adopted by the council on 29 June 2009. The SPD outlines the special character that warrants its designation as a conservation area and a management plan provides a framework for future development control and enhancement of this area. The SPD will be used as a material consideration in determining planning and related applications. It replaces supplementary planning guidance produced in 2003.

Interactive Map: Conservation Areas

Planning

Planning applications for development in conservation area, including new buildings and alterations to existing buildings, must demonstrate how the proposals would preserve or enhance the character of the area. Special attention should be given to the design, scale and use of materials, so that the existing character of the area is not harmed.

Within conservation areas there are certain restrictions to permitted development rights enjoyed by homeowners and businesses (the rights to carry out development without the need for a planning application).

Here are some examples of residential development that may require planning permission within a conservation area, but that may not require it outside one:

• Extensions to the side of a property
• Two-storey extensions to the rear of a property
• External cladding of a property (including stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles)
• Alterations to roofs for the enlargement of a property (including dormer windows)
• Windows and doors, in some limited circumstances
• Satellite dishes, antennae, chimneys, flues and other elements added to, and protruding from walls or roof slopes fronting the highway or forming the main or side elevation of a property
• The erection of some structures within the grounds of a property (including garages, sheds, outbuildings etc.)

Go to our planning permission page to find out whether your proposed works require planning permission.

Demolitions

For the demolition of structures in conservation areas with volumes exceeding 115 cubic metres, an application for planning permission will usually be needed in addition to any other permissions required for subsequent development. If a replacement structure is proposed, particularly where the structure it is proposed to demolish has some merit, the relative merits of the proposed replacement will need to be set against those of the existing structure. The two are not indivisible, and in such cases applications for demolition should not be made in isolation.

Trees

Owners of trees in a conservation area must give us six weeks' notice of their intention to carry out works (for example lopping, topping or felling). More details on how to apply and what work is exempt is available on the Protected trees page.

Related Pages

• Protected trees
• Planning permission