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CH3  Demolition Control within Conservation Areas  Policy

The demolition of buildings or structures within a designated Conservation Area, other than Listed Buildings or structures, will only be permitted where:

(i) the building or structure to be removed has little historic importance, visual merit or group value, or otherwise detracts from the special character of the Area; and

(ii) detailed plans for redevelopment have been approved by the Local Planning Authority and would serve to enhance the character of the Area.

Reasoned justification :

11.10 Demolition can often leave discordant gaps in the local townscape and, where undertaken prematurely, can lead to unsightly areas of neglected land which may persist over a long period of time. This is especially detrimental within Conservation Areas. For this reason, special controls exist for the Local Planning Authority to regulate demolition within the designated Area in order to refuse it or mitigate its impact. These controls relate only to non-listed buildings, as separate legal provisions apply to the demolition of Listed Buildings or structures.

11.11 Despite their limited value in architectural terms, non-listed buildings can often make an important contribution to the character of a Conservation Area and to the setting of any Listed Buildings within them. This is especially the case where they relate well in style, scale, age, materials and layout to other buildings of importance within the Area and where they help form part of characteristic views into or out of the designated Area.

11.12 In general terms, demolition will only be acceptable where the premises or structures involved have little or no merit in terms of their contribution to the history, character or appearance of the Conservation Area concerned. The Local Planning Authority will, however, normally encourage proposals to develop or replace buildings or areas which are out of harmony with the wider character of the Area, providing those proposals are carefully designed in order to enhance the overall appearance of the Conservation Area.

11.13 Demolition required under these circumstances will normally be approved. However, Policy CH3 specifically guards against the premature loss of a building by ensuring that demolition is only permitted where directly related to plans for redevelopment or site treatment which are acceptable to the wider objectives of Conservation Area control.