Dover District Council:   What is a conservation area?

Conservation areas are designated for their 'special architectural and historic interest'. They vary in character, form and size from a small group of buildings to a large part of a town, but their designation means that they are all worthy of protection as areas of special merit. 

There are 57 conservation areas in Dover District. You can check if your property is within a conservation area by using the link to our online map above and searching using the postcode or street name.

Living in a conservation area

The designation of a conservation area indicates our positive commitment to the heritage of these areas. We have a duty to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of conservation areas, and to do this we may apply additional planning controls over particular types of development. However, the aim is not to prevent change but rather to manage it to ensure that an area retains its special historic or architectural character whilst remaining a vibrant and desirable place to live, work and visit.

Development in conservation areas is more strictly controlled than elsewhere. You will need to apply for planning permission for demolition and for certain alterations which would normally be 'permitted development'. For example, planning permission is required when any of the following are proposed:

• Installation of external cladding such as weather-boarding or false stone
• Erection of roof dormers
• Demolition of any wall, gate or fence which is more than 1m in height and adjacent to a highway, or more than 2m elsewhere.

This list is not definitive, so if you are in any doubt whether or not you need planning permission, please see the DDC making planning applications page. Link available here