Cullompton Residents to Have their Say on Changing Local Planning Controls

Mid Devon District Council is seeking local people’s views on plans to relax the current rules on what alterations house owners in the Cullompton Conservation Area can carry out without needing to apply for planning permission.

In 2009 additional planning controls over what house owners could do to their properties were introduced in Cullompton Conservation Area with an “Article 4 Direction”. The additional controls mean that planning permission must be gained before various alterations can be done. These include installing rooflights on front roof slopes, putting up porches or replacing windows and doors on elevations facing a highway including any footpath, waterway or open space, removing chimneys or boundary walls.

The additional controls were part of a package of measures in the Conservation Area Management Plan to regenerate the town centre and improve the appearance of the wider conservation area. The deteriorating quality of the conservation area was recognised in the Heritage at Risk Register published by English Heritage. While the town remains a Conservation Area at Risk the deterioration has been halted.

The proposed changes

After five years and following issues with enforcement of the additional controls Mid Devon District Council commissioned a review of the Article 4 Direction by an independent consultant. As a result a number of changes are proposed. These would result in significantly fewer properties requiring planning permission for replacing windows and doors, demolishing boundary walls or constructing porches. Most dwellings would still need planning permission for installing rooflights on front roof slopes or for demolition of chimneys. In addition it is proposed that most dwellings would need to have planning permission for installation of solar panels.

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