Conservation areas

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• What conservation areas are there in Dacorum?

  There is no standard specification and areas range from small rural groups to large central areas of Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring.

  If you live or own property in a conservation area, you must comply with the normal planning controls which affect everyone else and which are not covered by these guidance notes.

  The one thing they all have in common is that their architectural / historic interest, and their special character / appearance is worth conserving and enhancing.

  In Dacorum we have 25 conservation areas. The extent of these areas is shown by our online local information map. Larger scale maps showing the individual area boundaries more clearly can be inspected in the planning department offices in The Forum, Hemel Hempstead. Copies of these can also be purchased.

  Conservation areas are not meant to be museum pieces – new development occurs all the time. However, a high standard of design of extensions or new buildings is expected to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.

• Am I in a conservation area?

  You can view the boundaries of the conservation areas in the borough on our online map or using the links below.

  Current conservation areas in Dacorum

  Current conservation area	Date originally designated	Date of adopted amendment(s)
  Aldbury (PDF 2.46 MB)	7 October 1968	21 December 1977 29 July 2008
  Berkhamsted (PDF 2.88MB)	24 March 1969	29 March 1994 21 January 2014 21 April 2016
  Bovingdon (PDF 3.34 MB)	6 October 1969	July 1975 28 July 2011
  Chipperfield (PDF 3.62 MB)	8 June 1970	21 December 1977 28 July 2011
  Dudswell (PDF 2.5 MB)	21 October 1980
  Flamstead (PDF 2.77 MB)	6 October 1969	October 1973
  Flaunden (PDF 1.5 MB)	24 October 1969
  Frithsden (PDF 1.45 MB)	7 October 1968	28 July 2011
  Great Gaddesden (PDF 1.90 MB)	6 October 1969	28 July 2011
  Hemel Hempstead (PDF 4.23 MB)	7 October 1968	21 January 2014
  Kings Langley (PDF 4.82 MB)	6 October 1969	19 November 1975
  Little Gaddesden (PDF 4.62 MB)	7 October 1968
  Long Marston (PDF 2.14 MB)	7 October 1968
  Markyate (PDF 4.38 MB)	6 October 1969
  Nettleden (PDF 1.47 MB)	7 October 1968	28 July 2011
  Northchurch (PDF 4.81 MB)	6 October 1969	19 November 1975
  Piccotts End (PDF 2.31 MB)	6 October 1969
  Potten End (PDF 3.36 MB)	25 March 1997
  Ringshall (PDF 2.17 MB)	6 October 1969	20 January 1994
  Tring (PDF 5.84 MB)	6 October 1969	16 February 1978 27 November 2019
  Water End (PDF 1.75 MB)	6 October 1969
  Wilstone (PDF 2.37 MB)	7 October 1968
  Winkwell (PDF 3.22 MB)	16 February 1978

• Conservation area appraisals

  We have begun a programme of conservation area appraisal work. The purpose of this is to identify and document what factors are considered to make up the special character of these conservation areas. Conservation area character appraisals have been completed for:

  •  Aldbury conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 3.05 MB)
  •  Bovingdon conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 2.52 MB)
  •  Chipperfield conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 3.65 MB)
  •  Frithsden conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 2.12 MB)
  •  Great Gaddesden conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 2.18 MB)
  •  Nettleden conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 1.75 MB)
  •  Little Gaddesden conservation area: character appraisal (PDF 6.03MB)
  •  Berkhamsted conservation area report (PDF 6,1MB)
  •  Berkhamsted conservation area report - appendices (PDF 2.3MB)
  •  Hemel Hempstead conservation area report (PDF 6.9MB)
  •  Tring conservation area: character appraisal and management proposals (PDF 5MB)
• Are there things I can do without consent?

  Yes, but remember that too many small changes can affect the character of the area.

  We may also have extra powers of detailed control in certain conservation areas, these are known as Article 4 Directions. Independent 'specialist' advice may not always be fully informed or reliable so it is very important to get advice from one of our Planning Officers before making changes.

  Introducing any of the following can spoil the historic character of many buildings and streets:

  • Unsuitably designed replacement windows, particularly those with UPVC frames, "stuck-on" glazing bars, or large sheets of glass

  • New doors of pseudo-historic design

  • Polished hardwood-type finishes on doors and windows. Traditionally, these are painted timber in Dacorum (in most cases)

  • Painting or rendering of brickwork

  • Inappropriate garden walls or fences

  • Removal of boundary walls and fences to create car parking

  •  What is best practice for windows in a conservation area? (PDF 5.83 MB)

  If you live or own property in a conservation area, you must comply with the normal planning controls which affect everyone else and which are not covered by these guidance notes.

  Extra controls also apply in conservation areas, and you will need to get written authority from us for the following:

  • Demolishing or partly demolishing buildings larger than 115 cubic metres in volume and including some garden walls and chimneystacks

  • Making additions and alterations to the roof of a house (including dormers)

  • Cladding the outside of a house with stone, timber, tiles or any synthetic / imitation material

  • Installing satellite dishes on the front of the building

  • Cutting down, lopping or topping most trees

  Remember that the regulations for house extensions, garden building and even some boundary walls and fences are different in conservation areas.

  This list is not definitive. If you are thinking about carrying out work in a conservation area, we suggest you first talk to the conservation officers in the planning department at The Forum in Hemel Hempstead. Please call 01442 228000.

• What is an Article 4 Direction?

  An Article 4 Direction is a special planning regulation adopted by us to provide additional powers of planning control in a particular location. It operates by removing “permitted development” rights over certain specified classes of minor alterations and extensions, such as porches, replacement of windows and doors and painting of the exterior of a building.

  The effect of these Article 4 Directions is that planning permission is required for these minor developments that would otherwise not be required.

  An Article 4 direction will be based upon elements such as the individual character, the group value, state of preservation, the surroundings, potential threat and suitability.

  The Article 4 Directions in Dacorum are listed below:

  Article 4 Directions in Dacorum

  Town	Road	House number/names	Date confirmed
  Berkhamsted	Boxwell Road	1-9, 10 – 28	27/05/2004
  Berkhamsted	Camilla Terrace	(High Street) 251 – 259	24/03/2005
  Berkhamsted	Chapel Street	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22 and 23	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Charles Street	34, 36, 36a, 39, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97 and 99	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Clarence Road	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19	21/08/2008
  Berkhamsted	Cowper Road	1 – 26	13/01/2005
  Berkhamsted	Hamilton Road	1, 2, 3 and 4	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	High Street	66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 251, 253, 255, 257 and 259	24/03/2005
  Berkhamsted	High Street	320, 322, 324,326 & 328, 330, 332, 334, 336 and 338	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Kitsbury Road	7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15a, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39, 39a, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 and 67	27/10//2011
  Berkhamsted	Kitsbury Terrace	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Ravens Lane	Lock Cottage	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Shrublands Avenue	2, 4, 6, 8, 10 – 91	24/07/2006
  Berkhamsted	Shrublands Avenue	92	07/ 09/2006
  Berkhamsted	Shrublands Road	5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15	27/10/2011
  Berkhamsted	Sibdon Place	(High Street) 66 – 74	24/03/2005
  Berkhamsted	Station Road	3 – 24	01/02/2005
  Northchurch	Covert Road	49	23/08/1974
  Ringshall	Ringshall	35	order dated 28/07/1980 unconfirmed – old ref. 27
  Tring	High Street	94, 96, 102, 104, 106, 108	20/01/2005
  Tring	King Street	1 – 18 Hamilton House, Kosicote and Hope Cottages	13/01/2005
  Tring	Park Road	Linwood, Farnleigh	20/01/2005
  Tring	Kiln Road	Land at High Scrubbs Wood / Shrubbs Wood opposite Kiln Farm	15/09/2016
  Little Gaddesden		Little Gaddesden House	06/04/2005
  Land covered by Article 4 Directions:
  Berkhamsted	Tower Close	Kingshill Water Tower	17/03/1994
  Berkhamsted	Nettleden Road Potten End	Land on the north side of	10/06/1992
  of Berkhamsted (confirmed)	Nettleden Road Potten End	Land off the south side	08/05/1991
  (confirmed)	Hill Water End	Land off Potten End	21/02/1990
  Potten End (confirmed)	Little Heath Lane	Land at Rosa Maria Farm	14/02/1991
  Berkhamsted and Tring		The Rural district of Berkhamsted and the urban district of Tring	13/11/1975
  Berkhamsted		Urban District of Berkhamsted frontage to New Road (this includes the Castle Hill site and Goreside)	21/12/1976
  Tring	Miswell Lane and Okeford Drive	Land between Miswell Lane and Okeford Drive	05/10/2006
  Tring	Icknield Way	Land adjacent to Icknield Way	05/09/2006
  Tring	Kiln Road	Land at High Scrubs Wood / Shrubbs Wood Opposite Kiln Farm	15/09/2016
  Northchurch	New Road	Land at New Road	15/04/2005

  
  
• What is conservation area enhancement?

  Many conservation areas have scope for improvement and legislation promotes the importance of “enhancing” as well as “preserving” them.

  This is why we have carried out a number of enhancement schemes, both small and large, in conservation areas and intend to continue this work.

  Local amenity societies and volunteer groups also do very effective work in this respect. Please get in touch with the planning department if you have any ideas which will enhance your area or want to know more about what is being done in Dacorum’s conservation areas.