Conservation areas in Charnwood

A conservation area is an area that's character or appearance is of special architectural or historical interest and has been chosen to be preserved or enhanced.

There are 38 conservation areas in Charnwood, including most of the traditional village and town centres in the borough as well as some Victorian, Edwardian and 1920s residential suburbs.

More information on each, including the conservation area character appraisal, can be found below.

Please note that, because of the boundary changes, we are in the process of updating the Character Appraisals for Barkby, Beeby, Hathern, Queniborough and Thurcaston. These will be updated soon.

• Anstey, Barkby, Barrow upon Soar, Beeby, Birstall, Cossington, Cropston, Hathern, Hoton, Loughborough Ashby Road, Loughborough Cemetery, Loughborough Church Gate, Loughborough Emmanuel Church, Loughborough Leicester Road, Loughborough Queens Park, Loughborough Shelthorpe, Loughborough Victoria Street, Mountsorrel, Newtown Linford, Queniborough, Quorn, Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Rearsby, Rothley, Rothley Ridgeway, Seagrave, Shepshed, Sileby, South Croxton, Swithland, Syston, Thrussington, Thurcaston, Walton on the Wolds , Woodhouse Forest Road, Woodhouse School Lane, Woodhouse Eaves, Wymeswold

A small part of Markfield conservation area, lies within Charnwood. For information please contact Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

Conservation area character appraisals

The council now has an adopted character appraisal for each of the borough's conservation areas. The appraisals outline the area's significance and sets out management proposals to preserve and enhance the area.

These documents are used by Development Management as guidance which determining planning applications in conservation areas.

Making alterations in a conservation area

There are different planning controls for development, demolition and alterations, work to trees, advertisements and general enhancement of a conservation area. Permitted Development rights are usually more restricted and planning permission may be needed.

For example, there is a smaller limit on single-storey rear extensions, while side extensions and two-storey extensions are excluded from Permitted Development rights in a conservation area. There is also greater control over garden buildings and structures. Other changes requiring consent include:

• Cladding a building
• Installing dormer windows
• Putting up a satellite dish visible from the street
• Demolishing a building, gates, fences, walls or railings
• Tree work

In addition to these limitations there is an expected level of high standard design in conservation areas; residents and businesses are encouraged to maintain and restore their buildings in keeping with the character of the area.

You can find out whether your property is within a conservation area by checking the Property Notices section of the Local Information page on My Charnwood. If your property is within a conservation area, please contact us to find out about any policies or restrictions that may apply.

Article 4 Direction

An Article 4 Direction is a special planning regulation which takes away any permitted development rights which would normally be attached to land or buildings in a particular area.

There is an Article 4 direction in place in part of the Mountsorrel conservation area, setting out additional controls on carrying out certain external alterations:

• Article 4 Direction Mountsorrel (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

There is also an Article 4 Direction in place in respect of the land at Ulverscroft Lane Newton Linford:

• Site Location Plan (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)
• Article 4 (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)