Conservation areas
What is a conservation area?
A conservation area is a part of a town that by
reason of its special architectural and or historic interest is
thought to merit extra safeguards. There are a number of towns and
villages within Allerdale that are designated as a conservation
area. They are designated to seek to enhance them by discouraging
development that would harm their character and encouraging
development that would enhance.
Where are the conservation areas?
Within conservation areas the Council seeks to protect and
enhance the character and expects special attention to be paid to
design details of new developments.
Allerdale's 21 Conservation Areas were designated between 1974
and 2002:
- Allonby (1975)
- Blennerhasset (1981)
- Bowness-on-Solway (1981)
- Caldbeck (1984)
- Cockermouth (1975)
- Gamelsby (1981)
- Greysouthen (1983)
- Hayton (1981)
- Kirkbampton (1981)
- Maryport (1981)
- Mawbray (1981)
- Papcastle (1983)
- Port Carlisle (1981)
- St. Michaels, Workington (2002)
- Silloth (1978)
- Torpenhow (1981)
- Westnewton (1981)
- West Curthwaite (1981)
- Wigton (1977)
- Portland Square, Workington (1974)
- Brow Top, Workington (1974)
You can enter your property details in the
My Property address search on our website. Under the
Environment heading of the results for your property, it will tell
you if your property is in a conservation area.
Conservation Area Appraisals
All conservation areas are subject to periodical appraisals to
ensure that they are still fit for purpose. Currently appraisals
have been completed on:
- Cockermouth (2006)
- Maryport (2005)
All Conservation Area Appraials (also known as Character
Assessments) are available for download below.
Alterations and extensions
Because a property is within a conservation area the scale of
alterations and extensions that can be done without planning
permission is reduced. Within Cockermouth, Maryport and the two
Workington conservation areas this is particularly the case.
Demolition of buildings
Demolition is development and in conservation areas consent can
be required for the demolition of buildings. If you are proposing
demolition you should discuss the proposal with a planning officer
first. Application form for Conservation Area Consent for
Demolition can be downloaded
below.
Works to trees
Prior to doing any work to top, lop, fell, or uproot a tree in a
conservation area you are first required to notify the Council in
order that they can assess the proposal. A form to guide you as to
the type of information that you would require is at Works to Trees
in Conservation Areas.