Conservation Areas are areas of the city of special character and historic interest that are subject to special planning controls. The Arboretum area was designated as a Conservation Area in 1983. Within Conservation Areas, there are tighter controls on the work that can be done without planning permission. These restrictions can be summarised as follows:
- Buildings and boundary walls/gates/railings within the area cannot be demolished without planning permission from the City Council.
- Certain alterations to houses would now require specific planning permission. These include new dormer windows, all side extensions, all rear extensions over one storey high, chimneys, flues, soil and vent pipes on the front of a property, some outbuildings, cladding or rendering of exterior walls and satellite dishes on the front of a property.
- Trees within the area may not be cut down, topped or lopped without 6 weeks written notice being given to the City Council.
- Applications for planning permission in the area should ‘preserve or enhance’ the special character of the Conservation Area.
A new Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan has recently been adopted. This has been subject to three rounds of public consultation and the comments received have informed the final document. The document describes the special architectural and historic interest of the area and how its character and appearance can be managed in the future.