Looking after Conservation Areas

Alteration to buildings
The details of individual buildings are important in forming the character of a conservation area. Repair and restoration work should always keep to the original appearance of the building as closely as possible and be carried out in materials to match the originals.

Roofs
If a roof has to be relaid, as many as possible of the original slates or tiles should be re-used and made up with matching slates or tiles. Chimney stacks are important features and should be kept or rebuilt.

Windows and doors
Alterations to windows and doors can have a particularly bad effect on the appearance of a building. Repair is often an alternative to replacement. If windows or doors have to be replaced exact copies of the originals should be made in wood. Secondary double glazing may be an alternative to sealed double glazing units. Simple draught proofing may be much cheaper than replacing a front door and this may be much better from a conservation point of view.

Decorative features
Many older houses have decorative features in wood, brick, plaster or stone. Others have ornate chimney stacks, dormers and turrets. All these features are important in shaping the character of a conservation area and are often delightful pieces of craftsmanship. They should be carefully looked after in the course of restoration or repair work.

Gardens
Hedges, front boundary walls and fences are important features and they should be carefully maintained. Garden walls should not be knocked down or front gardens covered in tarmac to make parking spaces. A few pounds spent on shrubs or bulbs can lift an area to everybody's benefit.

For further information on Conservation Areas, contact the council's Design and Conservation Team.