Policy information sourced from the Guildford Local Plan: Develpment Managment Policies
D20: Conservation Areas
Development proposals within or which would affect the setting of a Conservation Area are expected to preserve or enhance its special character and appearance. Where harm to/loss of significance is identified this will be considered against Policy D18(3): Designated Heritage Assets.
Development proposals are required to show how they respect and respond to the history of place, the surrounding context and the preservation or enhancement of the Conservation Area’s special character and local distinctiveness, by having regard to:
- the retention of buildings, groups of buildings, existing street patterns of the area, building lines and ground surfaces, and the impact on significant open spaces;
- the retention of architectural details and features of interest that contribute positively to the character and appearance of the area, such as windows, doors, and boundary treatments;
- the protection, and where appropriate, the enhancement of key views and vistas, to, from and through a Conservation Area; and
- the protection of trees and landscape that contribute positively towards the character and appearance of the area.
Development proposals within or which would affect the setting of a Conservation Area are required to be of a high-quality design and are expected to take the opportunity to enhance the special interest of the area. They are required to reinforce or complement the character and local distinctiveness and characterisation of the Conservation Area, including having regard to:
- size, height, bulk, massing, scale, layout, landscape and appearance;
- the use of good quality sustainable building materials and detailing, appropriate to the locality and sympathetic in colour, profile and texture; and
- maximising opportunities to mitigate and adapt to climate change through energy efficiency improvements.
For more information please see the Local Plan