CONSERVATION AREAS: -
A Conservation Area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is important to preserve or enhance.  They are often centred on listed buildings, green spaces or historic streetscapes. It is the character of the area as a whole, rather than individual buildings, that the designation seeks to preserve or enhance.

Conservation Areas were first introduced in 1967 and it is the Council who is responsible for their designation.  There are currently 39 conservation areas in the Braintree District. 

The Braintree District Local Plan Review (2005) sets out policies relating to development in Conservation Areas.  The emphasis is on the area as a whole, rather than only individual buildings. The setting and grouping of buildings, the spaces between buildings (both public and private), and trees all contribute to the essential character of an area.  Any development should respect and enhance the character of the area.

Conservation Area Appraisals:
A programme of conservation area appraisals is being undertaken.  The process provides further detail about the character of the areas as an update to the original conservation area designations.  Appraisals are currently being prepared for Sible Hedingham, Silver End, and Pebmarsh conservation areas.

As a result of the appraisals completed so far, the boundaries of certain conservation areas have been amended.

- Bulmer Conservation Area Appraisal 2009
- Cressing Conservation Area Appraisal 2009
- Finchingfield Conservation Area Appraisal 2009
- Witham Newland Street Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan 2007
- Map showing extent of Witham Newland Street Conservation Area 2007

Do I live in a Conservation Area?

Below is the list of towns, villages and areas in the Braintree District, which contain/are subject to conservation areas and the dates of designation and any subsequent amendment(s): -

1.        Ashen 09.11.89
2.        Belchamp Otten  03.12.84
3.        Belchamp St. Paul  11.10.79
4.        Belchamp Walter  17.07.80
5.        Birdbrook  30.01.70
6.        Braintree Town Centre and Bradford Street  19.06.69, 22.10.81, 16.05.85 09.11.89
7.        Bocking Church Street  22.10.81
8.        Bulmer  09.11.89, 18.03.09
9.        Bures Hamlet  02.10.69
10.      Castle Hedingham  19.06.69
11.      Coggeshall  19.12.68, 17.07.80 & 09.11.89
12.      Cressing  22.10.81, 10.03.09
13.      Earls Colne & White Colne West/East  27.11.69, 17.10.85, 18.09.90 & 20.11.07
14/15. Feering (2 separate areas)  27.05.76
16       Finchingfield  02.10.69, 10.03.09
17.       Foxearth  27.05.76 & 09.11.89
18.      Gosfield  05.05.88
19.       Great Bardfield  02.10.69
20.       Great Saling  26.01.89
21.       Great Yeldham  17.10.85
22.       Halstead Town Centre  07.08.69, 1.11.77, 01.05.86 &  20.11.07
23.       Helions Bumpstead  23.10.90
24.       Kelvedon  19.06.69 & 09.11.89
25.       Pebmarsh  09.11.89
26.       Rayne  22.10.81 & 09.11.89
27.       Ridgewell  02.11.73, 10.03.88 & 09.11.89
28/29. Sible Hedingham (2 separate areas)27.11.69
30.       Silver End  17.01.83 + further update
31.       Steeple Bumpstead  07.08.69 & 17.10.85
32.       Stisted  02.11.73 & 22.10.81
33.       Terling  02.10.69
34.       Toppesfield  09.11.89
35.       Wethersfield  02.11.73
36.       White Notley  10.03.88
37/38. Witham Town Centre (2 separate areas) 19.12.68, 23.01.84 & 26.02.08
39.       Chelmer & Blackwater  14.1.92

If your town or village does have a Conservation Area you can check if your land or building falls within this area by checking the proposals maps in the Braintree District Local Plan Review.   A Conservation Area is indicated by a green dashed line.

Alternatively you can view the maps at the Council offices or we can confirm this by telephone or email. 

If you do live in a Conservation Area there are specific restrictions, as indicated below.

Demolition

Conservation Area Consent (a similar process to a planning application) is required to do the following:

Demolish a building with a volume of more than 115 cubic metres; Demolish a gate, fence, wall or railing over 1m high where it adjoins a highway or public open space; or over 2 metres high elsewhere.

Planning Applications

Due to the need for new development to protect and enhance the character of an area, information regarding siting, scale, height, design, form and materials will usually be required to accompany a planning application.  This will enable the local authority to make a detailed assessment of a proposal affecting a Conservation Area.

Domestic Buildings

The extent of works that can be undertaken without the need for planning permission (Permitted Development Rights) is reduced for domestic buildings within Conservation Areas.  You will need to apply for planning permission for certain types of work, including most external changes, which do not need an application in other areas.  Relatively minor works such as painting, the removal of doors and windows and the paving of a front garden can affect a Conservation Area.  Always check with the Development Control department before undertaking any work.

Trees

Trees in Conservation Areas are also protected.  An application should be made to the Council’s Landscape Services department for the cutting down, uprooting, topping or lopping of a tree having a diameter greater than 75mm (or the cutting down or uprooting of a tree having a diameter greater than 100mm in order to improve the growth of other trees) measured at a point 1.5 metres above ground level.

Satellite Dishes

Satellite dishes and antenna are not permitted on a chimney, wall or roof slope which both faces onto and is visible from a road.

Article 4 Directions

The Council also has the power to introduce an Article 4 Direction if there is a need for further specific protection. These remove some of your permitted development rights and mean that planning permission will be needed for work which does not normally need it.  These are most common in Conservation Areas.  The direction means greater control for alterations and additions. You will probably know if your property is affected by such a direction, but you can check with the Council if you are unsure.

Silver End

The village of Silver End was founded between 1926 and 1932 as a ‘garden village’ and is recognised as holding an important place in the history of modern architecture and planning.  However, the character and appearance of the village was eroded over the years as a result of unsympathetic alterations and extensions.  Therefore in 1983 Braintree District Council introduced an Article 4 Direction for the Silver End Conservation Area.  The ‘ Silver End Conservation Guide’ sets out the full list of work that requires planning permission.

HISTORIC MONUMENTS: -
Braintree District has approximately 2700 sites of archaeological interest that are recorded on the Essex County Council’s Essex Heritage Conservation Record (EHCR), of which 42 sites are scheduled as Ancient Monuments (January 2002) under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The sites range from Palaeolithic flint axes through a variety of prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and medieval settlements to post medieval and modern industrial sites and World War 2 and Cold War structures.

- Alphamstone 24872 Roman villa south of Alphamstone church TL 8788 3539
- Ashen 20768 Ashen House moat and fishpond, 500m north of St. Augustine’s Church TL 7481 4280
- Ashen 32416 Long mortuary enclosure and barrows 460m northwest of Mill Farm TL 7582 4440, TL 7583 4445, TL 7594 4438
- Birdbrook 20739 Whitley House moated site TL 7221 4147
- Black Notley 20769 Moated site and two fishponds at Black Notley churchyard, 20m east of St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Church TL 7621 2070
- Braintree 87 Bocking windmill TL 763 259
- Braintree 32423 Dovecote at the Old Deanery 380m south of Bocking Hall, Braintree TL 7561 2537
- Bures Hamlet 20677 Circular cropmark at Ferriers Farm, 190m southwest of Hill Farm TL 8961 3441
- Castle Hedingham 3 Hedingham Castle TL 787 359
- Coggeshall 29426 Coggeshall Abbey TL 8547 2226, TL 8556 2233
- Colne Engaine 190 Monument in Colne Park TL 871 305
- Cressing 211 Cressing Temple TL 799 187
- Cressing 20744 Henge 300m ENE of Newbarns Farm TL 7873 1998
- Earls Colne 20642 Earls Colne Priory TL 8646 2893
- Feering 24866 Anglo-Saxon cemetery 150m east of Easterford Mill TL 8691 1906
- Feering 32415 Long mortuary enclosure and round barrow 160m south west of Frame Farm TL 8674 2056
- Finchingfield 20723 Jekyll’s Farm moated site and fishpond TL 6910 3570
- Finchingfield 20743 Brockhold Farm moated site TL 6938 3643
- Finchingfield 20754 Great Winsey moated site and fishpond, 1.4km south west of Finchingfield Church TL 6730 3229
- Finchingfield 20755 Cornish Hall moated site and fishpond, 750m south of Cornish Hall End Church TL 6841 3569
- Gestingthorpe 24870 Roman villa 480m south (Wickham St. Paul) east of Hill Farm TL 8287 3866
- Gosfield 183 Well house and donkey wheel at Gosfield Hall TL 774 297
- Greenstead Green 20732 Clavering’s Farm and Halstead Rural moated site TL 8209 2677
- Greenstead Green 20733 Stanstead Hall and Halstead Rural moated site TL 8271 2889
- Hatfield Peverel 165 Hatfield Priory TL 796 109
- Helions Bumpstead 20742 Helions moated site TL 6456 4124
- Pebmarsh 20731 Stanley Hall moated site TL 8365 3272
- Ridgewell 20765 Moat Farm, situated 750m south west of St. Lawrence’s Church TL 7347 4059
- Ridgewell 20766 Essex Hall moated site, 700m ESE of Three Chimneys Farm TL 7236 3997
- Ridgewell 20767 West End House moated site, 640m west of St. Lawrence’s Church TL 7336 4082
- Rivenhall 20757 Rivenhall long mortuary enclosure TL 8470 1668
- Rivenhall 24867 Roman villa, Anglo-Saxon hall, cemetery and church site, around and to the north and east of St. Mary and All Saints Church TL 8295 1777
- Sible Hedingham 20730 Moated site south of Rectory Road, 170m east of St. Peter’s Church TL 7780 3435
- Steeple Bumpstead 20740 Latchley’s farm moated site and fishponds TL 6715 3959
- Steeple Bumpstead 32419 Dovecote at Blois Farm TL 6852 4156
- Sturmer 20738 Bowl barrow 500m north-west of Sturmer Hall TL 6883 4428
- Sturmer 20761 Sturmer Hall moated site and mill complex TL 6896 4376, TL 6898 4387
- Terling 20756 Great Loyes moated site and fishpond TL 7742 1589
- Wickham St. Paul 24870 Roman villa 480m south east of Hill Farm TL 8287 3866
- Witham 20770 Blunts Hall ringwork TL 8076 1434

REGISTERED PARKS AND GARDENS: -
A number of historic parks and gardens, many associated with surviving, or demolished, large manor houses, have been identified by English Heritage as worthy of protection and included in a Register. Although inclusion does not convey any additional powers over development, the protection of their special character is a material consideration, to be taken fully into account in any development proposals affecting Registered Parks or Gardens, or their settings.

The following sites are currently included in the Register for the Braintree District, and are shown on the Local Plan Review Proposals Map:

Belchamp Hall
Faulkbourne Hall
Glazenwood, Bradwell
Gosfield Hall
Hatfield Priory
Saling Grove
Saling Hall
Terling Place

Updated 3/8/2010