Conservation Areas And Listed Buildings

 Advice on conservation

We are involved in projects to protect Poole's historic buildings and its natural environment and provide advice on all types and sizes of development:

• design of buildings
• site layout
• spatial form
• materials
• landscape design 

Poole Conservation Areas   

 Application for conservation area consent

You will need Conservation Area Consent for the demolition of an unlisted building in a conservation area. Please use our Pack Finder to identify the correct application form.

 Application for listed building consent

You will need Listed Building Consent for alterations to a Listed Building. Please use our packfinder application to identify the application form you need.

If the work involves demolition of a listed building a Listed Building Application will be needed, not a Conservation Area Consent application.

You will need Planning Permission for new development and normally the Local Planning Authority will wish to ensure that an acceptable development will take place before there is any question of agreeing to demolition of an unlisted building in a Conservation Area.

 Poole Historic Environment

There are many sources of information about the Historic Environment of Poole available on the Internet.

The Heritage Gateway incorporates details of Listed Buildings and contains many photos and other details

The Dorset Explorer contains an historic environment overlay for the purposes of identifying the Historic Environment and related constraints.

Please note that the Borough of Poole cannot be held responsible for the content of the external websites and if you require any detailed information for specific site or planning purposes you are advised to contact planning@poole.gov.uk. 

 Article 4 Directions 

Additional controls are applied to minor developments within certain conservation areas in the form of Article 4 Directions. These directions can control small-scale change that can gradually erode the character of a conservation area, such as alterations to windows or the creation of car parking space at the front of a property.  

Where an Article 4 Direction is applied, planning permission would be required for specified developments. Further details on which conservation areas are covered by Article 4 Directions  can be found in the downloads area

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 Listed Buildings

• Do you value your heritage?
• Want to retain what makes Poole special?
• Ever thought of getting involved with the creation of the Local List of Heritage Assets?

The Borough of Poole has over 200 buildings and other structures, which are of sufficient architectural and historic importance to be included on the statutory list of Listed buildings. These enjoy statutory protection against unauthorised alteration and demolition. However, there are many other Heritage Assets of archaeological, landscape, architectural or historic significance which do not meet the criteria for statutory list but still make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the Borough of Poole.

The Council recognizes the contribution of these Heritage Assets make to the local scene, and has followed government policy by creating a list of these assets and including a policy in the Specific Sites Allocation to protect them.

 These Assets can include:

• Locally Listed Buildings and other features
• Unscheduled Ancient Monuments
• Known archaeological sites and areas of archaeological significance;
• Historic landscapes, landscape features,
• Locally significant Parks and gardens;
• Locally produced Artefacts (Pottery Plaques, Statues etc)

Compiling a list of Heritage Assets which make a significant contribution to local character and distinctiveness is supported and encouraged by government guidance English Heritage best practice and the Local Development framework and to do this after public consultation.

The inclusion on a Local List does not affect the planning rights; any permitted development rights or deemed consents remain unchanged. However, he effect on the significance of Heritage Assets will be a material consideration in determining any application which affects an asset or its setting.

When considering proposals affecting Heritage Assets on the Local List the council will assess the proposals using the following guidance. Where there is no statutory control it is hoped that this guidance will serve as a best practice guide.

Many of the Heritage Assets on the list are traditional buildings and structures. Any repairs to traditional buildings should be sympathetic in terms of design, materials used and methods employed.

It is important that the Significance of a Heritage Asset is retained. In order to insure this the significance of the Heritage Asset should be assessed before any proposed alteration. Historic architectural features such as windows, doors, roof pitch and material, or internal features, together with archaeology, landscape features and setting can all contribute to the significance of the Asset. These features should be preserved or if possible enhanced in any proposal.

Extensions to Heritage Assets should relate appropriately in scale and massing and should be subservient to the Asset. However, these extensions can relate to the existing Asset in terms of architectural language or be contemporary. If an historic approach is adopted, then the extension should be historically accurate in terms of design, detailing, materials, colour and scale. If contemporary then high quality designs, details and materials are essential, and again the extension should be of an appropriate scale.

New developments which affect the setting of Heritage assets should ensure the significance of that setting is not compromised. These developments should preserve positive settings and enhance those that are poor. These developments should address positioning, layout, design and landscaping. They should take account of: 

• The historic arrangement and layout of buildings.
• Attractive views into, out of and through the site.
• The relative enclosure or openness of the site.
• Landscape features, existing and proposed.
• Other natural features e.g. topography
• Historic and proposed surface treatments
• Historic Boundaries
• Archaeology

In designing new development reference should be made to the government guidance in PPS1, PPS3, CABE By Design and the councils advice on design in the Core Strategy and in A Design Code SPG.

The demolition of an Asset on the Local List will only be permitted where the applicant can demonstrate that the significance of the asset has been fully assessed and that the development is of such high quality that the significance of the Heritage Asset to be lost is out weighed by the benefit of that development. In such cases the loss of that significance will be ties to that development. In such cases there will also be a recording condition tied to the development.

Where proposals are likely to impact on archaeological elements the council will not consider the proposals unless an adequate archaeological assessment is received as part of the application.

Where proposals are likely to impact on the landscape or setting of the Asset the council will not consider the proposals unless an adequate landscape assessment is received as part of the application.

•  Criteria for the selection of Heritage Assets for the Local List

It is intended to amend the existing Local List Criteria as follows: 

a    Having special value within certain types;

b    Displaying technological innovations;

c    Having group value;

d    Illustrating social development and economic history;

e    Of good design, reflecting period detail and style

f     Designed by a well known architect or craftsman of national or local reputation.

g    having important historic/archaeological importance

h    having landscape importance

 A Heritage Asset only needs to meet one of these criteria to be considered for inclusion on the list:

The List of Buildings of Local Importance was included as part of the Poole Local Plan First Alteration (Adopted March 2004) Appendix 1. Since then government guidance has changed to include a broader remit of Historic Environment Assets and a requirement to include this within their Local Development Framework. 

Owners of Heritage Assets will be notified in writing that this asset is to be included in the list together with the criteria for listing. 

All Local Heritage Assets will be added to the Council's Historic Environment Record this is available on line via the Heritage Gateway at www.heritagegateway.org.uk .

The Local List is a dynamic document and anyone is encouraged to propose an addition which would meet the adopted criteria. Further nominations will be carefully considered against the Council's criteria as set out above, and will be subject to an validation process.

Proposals for inclusion on the list must include: the address/location, a description of the Asset, at least one photograph of the Asset, and an identification of how it is considered that the Asset meets the criteria. Any additions will be proceed periodically and go through a robust process before validation and adoption.

Initially it is intended to have an updated local list published for consultation on this website by the end of the year.

If you know of any building or other structure which you feel should be added to this Local List, please complete the nomination form and return to Planning & Regeneration Services, where we would be delighted to hear from you.

The more information you can supply the easier it will be for us to assess whether or not your building should be added to the list. 

Owners may challenge the inclusion of an Asset on the list by demonstrating why they consider that it does not meet any of the criteria. The local list will be available on the councils website; www.boroughofpoole.com by the end of 2009  with paper copies available on request.

Assets which the local community consider make a significant contribution to local character and distinctiveness are an environmental asset and form part of the cultural heritage and are in themselves finite resources, which once lost cannot be replaced. Core Strategy Policies PCS 31 - 35 deal with sustainable energy.  The general principles for sustainable development will apply to proposals for changes to Local Historic Assets. However, applicants will be required to demonstrate that this can be achieved while retaining the significance of the Heritage Asset:

For more information on the local list, or if you want advice on the repair of historic buildings please telephone 01202 633343 or e-mail h.brushett@poole.gov.uk

If you wish to discuss any proposals other than repair then you should be aware that the Borough of Poole has a structured pre-application process. Pre-application advice forms are available on line or from:

Planning and Regeneration Services

Borough of Poole

Civic Centre

Poole

Dorset

BH15 2RU