whhs conservation areas

Conservation Areas in Wolverhampton

Conservation areas are areas which the local authority considers to be of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to improve or enhance. Unlike the case of listed buildings it appears to be accepted that the special architectural or historic interest does not have to be national - being of local interest is sufficient. The purpose of these areas is to try to preserve not the architecture for its own sake but the atmosphere of the area, to preserve the cherished scene. Conservation areas may contain listed buildings but they do not have to do so. In fact conservation areas do not have to have any buildings in them at all - it could be a few fields.

Conservation areas get some protection from inappropriate development. For example, the scope of the development one is permitted to carry out without planning permission is more restricted in a conservation area than outside it; and you cannot lop, top or fell any tree in a conservation area without giving notice to the local authority.

Designation of Conservation Areas was introduced in 1967. The first designations in Wolverhampton were the Wolverhampton Town Centre and Vicarage Road, Penn, both of which were designated on the 7th September 1972. The most recent designations were two areas, both designated on the 1st. December 2004: The Oaks (Merridale Road) Conservation Are and the Tettenhall Road Conservation Area. The area covered by a conservation area can be extended and areas can be amalgamated into one - the Wolverhampton Town Centre conservation area has been altered and amalgamated several times; and in December 2004 parts of the Park Conservation Area were removed from that area and added to the new Oaks and Tettenhall Road Conservation Areas.

If you want more information about any area, go the Wolverhampton City Council's Regeneration and Transportation Section reception desk on the second floor of the Civic Centre and ask there. They can show you maps on which the exact boundaries are depicted; and they may be able to find the original report on which designation was based. These reports usually give a history of the area and an analysis of the character of the area. The Council used to produce a booklet about each area, and some might still be available.

Below is a list of the conservation areas in Wolverhampton. Where a link is shown below, it is to a page about the conservation area as such; if the link is preceded by an asterisk, it is to a page which includes further information about some feature of the area but that page will not contain a link back to this page - you will have to use the back button on your browser!

Tettenhall Greens

Vicarage Road, Penn

*St. John's Square

Bushbury Hill

Wolverhampton Locks

Bilston Town Centre

Tettenhall Wood

*Park

Wolverhampton Town Centre

The Woodlands, Penn

Union Mill

*Castlecroft Gardens