CONSERVATION & DESIGN
You should find the answers to many of your questions on this page. We also point you in the right direction if you want more information or need to make contact.
Historic buildings
We cover historic buildings and structures, historic areas, listed buildings and conservation areas.
Our main services
- Providing advice and information to owners, agents, the public and others
- Dealing with listed building and conservation area consent applications and advising on whether they should be approved
- Advising our Development Control colleagues on planning applications affecting historic buildings and areas
- Giving guidance on the heritage information required with applications
- Advising on housing growth and other changes which could affect historic buildings and areas
- Providing historic building repair grants
- Taking action to ensure that historic buildings are preserved
- Supporting enhancement projects and other improvements
- Producing policy and guidance such as Conservation Areas and supplementary planning documents
- Managing historic guardianship sites and closed churchyards
- Recognising success through the Built Heritage Award Scheme
- Celebrating and promoting South Cambridgeshire's historic villages and buildings
Key documents
Development Affecting Conservation Areas Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
Services provided by others
South Cambridgeshire District Council
- Development Control has lead responsibility for planning applications. Note: some proposals will need planning permission and listed building or conservation area consent approval.
- Planning Policy has lead responsibility for Local Planning Documents
- Building Control
English Heritage
English Heritage (This link will open in a new window) works in partnership with central government departments, local authorities, voluntary bodies and the private sector to:
- Conserve and enhance the historic environment
- Broaden public access to the heritage
- Increase people's understanding of the past
English Heritage is particularly involved with Grade I and II* listed buildings and major schemes affecting conservation areas. (The District Council is responsible for dealing with planning, listed building and conservation area consent applications, however, and should normally be the first point of contact).
Other helpful related websites:
- Historic Environment Local Management (HELM) (This link will open in a new window)
- English Heritage and climate change (This link will open in a new window)
Local projects and groups
- Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust (This link will open in a new window)
- East of England Buildings Preservation Trust (This link will open in a new window)
Other important organisations and sources of information
Information on historic buildings, sites and places
- Images of England (This link will open in a new window)
- Heritage Gateway (This link will open in a new window)
- Pevsner Architectural Guides (This link will open in a new window)
- Building Conservation (This link will open in a new window)
- Vision of Britain (This link will open in a new window)
Government legislation, guidance and advice
- Planning Portal (This link will open in a new window)
- Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (This link will open in a new window)
- Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment (This link will open in a new window) (also PPS5 Practice Guide)
- Energy Saving Trust (This link will open in a new window)
- Disability and the Equality Act 2010 (This link will open in a new window) - from Direct Gov
Amenity societies
- Ancient Monuments Society (This link will open in a new window)
- Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (This link will open in a new window)
- Georgian Group (This link will open in a new window)
- Victorian Society (This link will open in a new window)
- 20th Century Society (This link will open in a new window)
- Garden History Society (This link will open in a new window)
Professional and craft bodies
- Institute for Historic Building Conservation (This link will open in a new window)
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (This link will open in a new window)
- Royal Institute of British Architects (This link will open in a new window)
- Royal Town Planning Institute (This link will open in a new window)
- Thatching Association (This link will open in a new window)
- East Anglia Master Thatchers (This link will open in a new window)
Various
- Church of England, Church care (This link will open in a new window)
- Funds for historic buildings (This link will open in a new window)
- Architectural Heritage Fund (This link will open in a new window) (support for preservation trusts)
- Maintain our Heritage (This link will open in a new window)
- Maintain your building (This link will open in a new window)
- For researching buildings www.old-maps.co.uk (This link will open in a new window)
Frequently asked questions
- Is it only the outside of a building that is listed?
- Can I alter the inside of a Grade II Listed Building without Consent?
- My house dates back to the seventeenth century - can I can remove parts that were added later without the need for consent?
- My house is Listed, can I do anything to it at all?
- Are buildings in the grounds listed too?
- Can I build what I want in the grounds of my listed building?
- What sort of consents do I need?
Service contacts
South Cambridgeshire District Council Contact Centre
Tel 03450 450 5000
Historic Buildings team
Conservation areas
Tel 01954 713258 [corrie.newell@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)]
Listed buildings
Tel 01954 713178 [stacey.weiser@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)]
Historic buildings grants
Tel 01954 713429 [shona.smith@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)]
