Guide to Conservation Areas in Cambridge

Conservation Areas are local areas deemed by the council to be of special architectural or historic interest, designed to preserve or enhance their character or appearance. If your property is within a Conservation Area, Planning Permission may be needed for some works where it would otherwise not be needed. This may include additions such as side extensions, or the demolition of buildings and boundary walls.

What additional works need Planning Permission in a Conservation Area?

Cambridge Council have a comprehensive list on their website of works which require planning Permission within a Conservation Area. It is worth noting that trees in conservation areas have protection even if they are not subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). The Council recommend requesting Pre-Application advice if homeowners are unsure if their works require Planning Permission. Inclume are regularly engaged by clients within Cambridge to assist with the Pre-Application process.

How do I check whether my home in Cambridge is in a Conservation Area?

Local planning authorities have a statutory duty to identify and designate Conservation Areas; Cambridge City Council currently have 17. South Cambridgeshire’s planning map search, which includes properties in both Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire conservation areas, shows whether your home is in a conservation area.

What are the characteristics of a Conservation Area?

Conservation Areas vary in character, size, and form, ranging from major areas of a town or city to small groups of historic buildings. Although they often contain Listed Buildings, this is not a prerequisite, and often the ‘special character’ is the sense of place created by traditional buildings, historic street patterns, boundary walls, trees, open spaces, views or important public areas such as marketplaces.

Does the Accordia Estate have any special protection?

In February 2014, Cambridge Council applied an Article 4 Direction to the Accordia Estate, giving the Stirling Prize winning development additional protection from alterations. This means that certain works which are generally permitted development, as listed below, require a planning application:

• The infill or enclosure of a recessed entrance or an open terrace area

• Insertion of a new window opening

• Removal of a projecting part of a house

• The recladding of any part of a building in a material of a different type or appearance to the original

• The provision within the curtilage of a house of a hard surface

• The alteration or removal of a chimney

• The erection or construction of a gate, fence, wall or other means of enclosure

• The painting of the exterior of any building or work

Are maps available to check whether my home is in a Conservation Area?

The 17 Cambridge Conservation Areas are listed below, maps of which are available by clicking the following links:

• Barrow Road conservation area

• Brooklands conservation area

• Castle and Victoria Road conservation area

• Central conservation area

• Chesterton conservation area

• Conduit Head Road conservation area

• De Freville conservation area

• Ferry Lane conservation area

• The Kite conservation area

• Mill Road conservation area

• New Town and Glisson Road conservation area

• Newnham Croft conservation area

• Riverside and Stourbridge Common conservation area

• Southacre conservation area

• Storey’s Way conservation area

• Trumpington conservation area

• West Cambridge conservation area

(Source: Greater Cambridge Shared Planning)