Conservation Areas & Planning in Brighton
Brighton is known for its combination of Regency, Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Even those who have never been to Brighton will be aware of the Royal Pavillion, the Brunswick Estate and Brighton Palace Pier. But in addition to the well-known historic buildings, Brighton has a wealth of beautiful, residential properties. It is therefore no surprise that there are 34 conservation areas in Brighton & Hove City Council, with the first two (Brunswick Town and Cliftonville) being designated in 1969. More than 18% of Brighton & Hove’s urban area is covered by conservation areas.
Living in and owning a property in a conservation area comes with specific requirements and restrictions, designed to retain and enhance the historic interest of the area. With any property, there are certain amendments to your property that you can make without applying for permission, these are known as permitted development rights. When a conservation area is designated, the properties within those areas have reduced permitted development rights, and the local authority can apply what is known as an Article 4 Direction to a conservation area, which further reduces permitted development rights.
If your property in Brighton & Hove is in a conservation area, this can dictate widely what you can and cannot do. This will include large alterations such as extensions and loft conversions, but can also impact amendments such as the colour you can paint your façade, your front door and your windows, in some conservation areas in Brighton city centre, even the erection of estate agent boards is controlled.
At Parsons Joinery, we specialise in the manufacture and installation of timber windows and doors in Brighton, and have a wealth of experience in dealing with Brighton & Hove City Council.
In 2024, we submitted 7 planning applications to Brighton & Hove City Council. This included three standard planning applications and two listed building consent applications. All of these applications submitted in 2024 were approved.
Our surveyors and in-house planning team understand the specific and unique planning requirements for conservation areas in Brighton and we can undertake the whole planning process for you, including preparing and submitting full technical drawings.
If you have any questions about planning requirements in Brighton & Hove City Council, or would like to arrange for a free, no-obligation site survey, please contact us and we will be happy to help!