30 July 2010Sevenoaks District is rich in history and contains much that is worthy of conservation. There are 40 conservation areas and over 2000 listed buildings. The Council through the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 controls certain works in conservation areas. These are areas of special architectural or historic interest where the aim is to preserve or enhance character or appearance
Conservation areas vary in size, ranging from whole town centres, to much smaller groups of buildings. They will often be centred on listed buildings, but other features of merit, such as open spaces, trees, historic street patterns, or items of historic or archaeological interest may also contribute to the special character of an area.
Even relatively minor works, such as painting, removal of doors and windows and paving front gardens may affect the character of a conservation area and it is therefore advisable to contact the Development Control section for further advice. The fact that a building is in a conservation area does not necessarily mean that it must be preserved intact for all time.
In conservation areas great care is taken with development decisions and any alterations must respect the particular character and interest of the area. Quality and enhancement are important aspects of any development proposals.
Sevenoaks itself has an outstanding group of historic buildings including the Parish Church of St Nicholas and Sevenoaks School - both constructed of Kentish ragstone. Georgian houses line the Upper High Street and there are many survivors of early traditional timber framed buildings throughout the town. To the north, surrounded by fine buildings, is The Vine, famous as the first cricket ground in the County. Apart from Sevenoaks and Edenbridge most of the Conservation Areas are focused on the villages. Each has its own character with a cluster of historic buildings.
Conservation Areas Appraisals have been prepared for all Conservation Areas within Sevenoaks District and may be printed from the website or purchased by contacting the Conservation Officer. Boundaries can be seen on the Conservation Area Maps. These maps show current conservation area boundaries and may differ from maps in our published Conservation Area Appraisals where the area has been recently reviewed.
For further information on Conservation Areas, please see the below links:
For all other information or advice, please contact the Planning Team.
