Conservation areas
In this section
Conservation Area Current Consultations
Adversane, Cowfold and West Grinstead Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans Consultation
Conservation areas exist to manage and protect the special architectural and historic interest of an area and contribute to forming a unique sense of place.
Horsham District Council has a duty under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to:
* designate conservation areas where appropriate,
* to review the designations regularly, and
* to plan for the management of conservation areas to ensure that they retain their special character and interest.
There are currently 39 designated conservation areas within the Horsham district. The Council has set up a rolling programme of reviewing and producing conservation area appraisals and management plans. The conservation areas of Adversane, Cowfold and West Grinstead have been identified as not having a recent conservation area appraisal and management plan. Conservation area appraisals have therefore been undertaken in accordance with current best practice as described in Historic England’s document, “Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management, Historic England Advice Note 1 (2019)”. The draft text of each Conservation Area Appraisal can be found on our Current Consultations Page. Engagement with the community is a key element in achieving a designation which is informed and supported by residents and businesses, therefore the draft conservation area appraisals and management plans will be out to consultation from 6 February to 13 March 2025 for 5 weeks inviting representations on the draft documents. Copies of the documents are available to view on the Horsham District Council’s website. The deadline for comments is 17:00 on Thursday 13 March 2025.
Hard copies of the documentation are available upon prior request for inspection at Horsham District Council offices; between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (01403 215398).
To make your comments please:
- Email to: landscape.heritage@horsham.gov.uk ; or
- Or post it to: Landscape and Heritage, Strategic Planning Team, Horsham District Council, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham, RH12 1RL.
What is a conservation area?
A conservation area is an area of special historical interest that is protected by law. As the local planning authority, we designate conservation areas under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Conservation areas can range from a small group of buildings to a whole town or village. Conservation areas do not necessarily cover the whole settlement; normally it is only the historic core of a village, town or city which is designated.
Conservation areas have extra planning controls on them to protect the character and appearance of historic or architectural elements.
There are 38 conservation areas in Horsham District, each with its own map and character statement.