King's Norton Village as a Conservation Area
The area embraces the Village Green as the commercial centre, the Library and Schools on Pershore Road South; the Parish owned buildings and graveyard, part of the park, St Nicolas Gardens and the Church Hall.
Local authorities have the power to designate as conservation areas in any area of "special architectural or historic interest" whose character or appearance is worth protecting or enhancing. This "specialness" is judged against local and regional criteria, rather than national importance, as is the case with listing. Conservation areas give broader protection than listing individual buildings: all the features, listed or otherwise, within the area, are recognised as part of its character.
Under legislation introduced in 1995, local authorities can make further restrictions on the kind of alterations allowed, depending on how these might affect the key elements of buildings in the conservation area. Examples might be putting up porches, painting a house a different colour, or changing distinctive doors, windows, or other architectural details. The local authority has to have good reason for making these restrictions, and must take account of public views before doing so. King's Norton Village Green was designated a conservation area by Birmingham City Council in 1969 and this was further extended in 1989.
The local authority has to develop a policy that clearly identifies what features of the area should be preserved or enhanced, and set out how this can be done. Some of the means by which the local authority can enhance the appearance of such an area include:
- Preparing special development briefs for sites they identify as detracting from the character or appearance of the area.
- Ensuring that new buildings harmonise with or compliment their neighbours in scale, style, and use of materials.
- Making environmental improvements, e.g. by reinstating historic paving materials, sympathetic landscaping and planting, or removing unsightly elements such as hoarding.
- Integrating road signs and markings as far as possible with the character of the street.
- Controlling the position and design of advertisements and shop signs
- Ensuring that traffic safety and control measures harmonise with the landscape.
- Making grants available for the repair of buildings.
Once policies for a particular area have been agreed, local residents and businesses should be made fully aware of why the area has been designated and how they can protect its character and appearance.
English Heritage "Buildings at Risk" Register
This register includes details of Grade I and II* listed buildings known to English Heritage to be "at risk" through neglect and decay, or vulnerable to becoming so. Most of the buildings and structures are in poor to very bad condition, but a few in fair condition are also included, usually because they have become functionally redundant, making their future uncertain. This is not an implication of criticism against the owners many of whom are actively seeking ways to secure the future of their property.