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24-670: The main part of the library is based at 80 Vincent Square , London, within the headquarters of its custodian, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS); the site also includes Lindley Hall , one of the Royal Horticultural Halls. RHS members may borrow books from the London, Wisley and Harlow Carr collections. The Upper Reading Room is open to the public and holds the 20th-century material available for loans, along with gardening magazines from around

48-424: A network of backstreets, it chiefly provides playing fields for Westminster School , who own it absolutely ; otherwise, it functions as a green lung and a view for the homes, hotel and other organisations adjoining. Nine of its adjoining buildings have been given strict statutory architectural recognition and protection. The Liberal Democrat Headquarters , housing one of Parliament's three largest political parties,

72-472: A stem diameter of more than 75 mm (3"), when measured at 1.5 metres (5') height above ground level, in a conservation area must give the planning authority six weeks' notice of their intentions to do the work. Several exemptions from the need to notify exist including for removal of dead trees, the prevention or abatement of (legal) nuisance and for the implementation of planning permission. Work may only be undertaken either when consent has been given by

96-422: Is a conservation area, 59% of which are rural, and 41% are in urban areas. The original idea of historic conservation areas was proposed by June Hargreaves , a York town planner, in her 1964 book Historic buildings. Problems of their preservation . In the book she critiqued the idea that historic buildings should be replaced with modern "streamlined and ultra-functional" buildings as this would be detrimental to

120-400: Is based at 1 Vincent Square. It was appropriated in the 18th century on land originally known as Tothill Fields , by William Vincent , a former Dean of Westminster and headmaster of Westminster School who simply paid a man with a horse and plough to enclose the square with a mound and ditch. Previous uses include a death camp and cemetery for 1,200 Scottish prisoners starved to death after

144-488: Is considered worthy of preservation or enhancement. It creates a precautionary approach to the loss or alteration of buildings and/or trees, thus it has some of the legislative and policy characteristics of listed buildings and tree preservation orders . The concept was introduced in 1967, and by 2017 almost 9,800 had been designated in England. As of 2019, 2.2% of England making up 2,938 km (1,134 sq mi)

168-659: Is desirable to preserve or enhance". The current Scottish legislation is the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 . In Northern Ireland it is the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 . Conservation areas can be found across a wide a range of urban and rural UK locations. For example, in the historic centres of town and cities such as Alexandra Palace and Park ; model housing estates; historic mining, fishing and transport areas e.g. Crosby Garrett ; and rural villages such as Osmotherley . It

192-426: Is the role of the listed building process to protect individual buildings, and it is common for many listed buildings to also be located within designated conservation areas where those individual buildings make a contribution to the special architectural or historic character of the area. Current Government planning policy on conservation areas is laid down (for England) mainly in section 12 'Conserving and enhancing

216-473: Is worth protecting or enhancing. Local and regional criteria are used, rather than any national standard. In exceptional circumstances, Historic England can designate conservation areas in London, but it has to consult the relevant Borough Council and obtain the consent of the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport. The Secretary of State can also designate in exceptional circumstances – usually where

240-624: The Battle of Worcester in 1651, a large burial pit for victims of the Great Plague of London in 1665/6, a jail named Tothill Fields Bridewell , and a well-known bear-baiting den recorded in the reign of Queen Anne . The space, facing buildings and certain others surrounding form the Vincent Square Conservation Area . The square contains a cricket pavilion, four football pitches, about 10 tennis courts, and

264-686: The RHS' collection of paintings and photographs. In 2009, the Library started issuing a series of papers ( Occasional Papers ). The London collection suffered minor damage in a fire in July 2011. No valuable works were lost. The first librarian was W. T. Thiselton-Dyer (1871–1875), later Director at Kew, followed by W. B. Hemsley (1875–1878). Amongst other notable librarians was William Thomas Stearn (1933–1952), who succeeded H. R. Hutchinson . More recently were Peter Stageman (1957) and Dr Brent Elliott who

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288-566: The area is of more than local interest. Local authorities have additional powers under planning legislation to control changes to buildings in a conservation area that might usually be allowed without planning permission in other locations, for example changing the appearance of windows, adding external cladding or putting up satellite dishes. Large conservation areas are sometimes subdivided into identity areas, which cover groups of buildings and features having similar character and appearance. Enforcement of conservation areas varies, dependent on

312-478: The electorate . At the 2011 Census its population was 9,988. 51°29′36″N 0°08′06″W  /  51.4932°N 0.1351°W  / 51.4932; -0.1351 Conservation area (United Kingdom) In the United Kingdom, the term conservation area almost always applies to an area (usually urban or the core of a village) of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which

336-496: The groundsman's house, and is used on school weekdays by Westminster Under School . Other buildings fronting the square include the headquarters of the Royal Horticultural Society . Outside of school bookings the courts host many fixtures of the Lords and Commons Tennis Club. Numbering is from the east corner, clockwise (3 to 87) and applies to fewer than 87 buildings, from great mergers and additional road openings. Those listed in

360-481: The historic character of the area, for example by ensuring that newly constructed buildings are of a high quality design. Conservation area status also removes some permitted development rights that apply in undesignated areas. In England, conservation area consent was abolished by the ERR Act (1) and replaced with a requirement for planning permission for demolition of a building in a conservation area (1). In Wales,

384-762: The historic environment' of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and (for Wales) in Welsh Office Circular 61/96 – Planning and the Historic Environment: Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas . There are additional planning controls over certain works carried out within the conservation area. For example, demolition within conservation areas requires consent. The designation does not preclude development from taking place, but does require that developments preserve or enhance

408-498: The identity of historic towns: "No building within an 'area of special preservation' should be demolished or altered in such a way as to materially detract from the contribution it makes to the group value of the street." The Civic Amenities Act 1967 introduced the concept of conservation areas, and in September of that year the first designation was made, covering the "old town" area of Stamford, Lincolnshire . The legislation

432-445: The initial, mainstream category of statutory recognition and protection (" Grade II listed ") are: At rarer, Grade II* is: In 1981, Westminster Under School opened in the building of the former Grosvenor Hospital for Women which had closed in 1976. Vincent Square lends its name to a current electoral ward of the local authority, Westminster City Council . Its bounds are thus drawn up for approximately equal representation of

456-459: The renovation with a grant, one condition of which was that the library should be opened up to public access. The library is based upon the book collection of English botanist John Lindley and has many rare books dating from 1514. It also includes other media such as garden guidebooks, trade catalogues, postcards and press cuttings. As well as horticulture, the collection covers flora , birds and other related subjects. The London site also includes

480-425: The requirement for conservation area consent remains. The circumstances in which such planning permission is required and the consequences of failing to apply for it when it is needed are the same as applied to conservation area consent. Local authorities are chiefly responsible for designating conservation areas. They can designate any area of 'special architectural or historic interest' whose character or appearance

504-476: The resources and priorities of the local authority, and many fail to meet expectations. A conservation area may have a conservation area advisory committee , a non-elected body of people, some of whom may be expert, who are concerned about the conservation in the particular area. Historic England maintains an "at risk" register which includes conservation areas. The law generally requires that anyone proposing to cut down or carry out any work on any tree, with

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528-478: The world. Visitors must register if they wish to use the Lower Reading Room which houses historical collections. In 1995, the RHS proposed to relocate the main collection from London to Wisley , but architect Rick Mather redesigned the accommodation to make better use of the basement. His design was accepted and the project was carried out between 1997 and 2001. The Heritage Lottery Fund assisted

552-585: Was librarian (1982–2007), and subsequently the RHS historian. He initiated and edited the Occasional Papers . 51°29′40″N 0°8′5″W  /  51.49444°N 0.13472°W  / 51.49444; -0.13472 Vincent Square Vincent Square is a grass-covered square in Westminster , London, England. It is London's largest privately-owned square, covering 13 acres, lined with mature trees including London Planes . In among

576-505: Was refined by section 277 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 , which in turn was superseded by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The current legislation in England and Wales, the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (sections 69 and 70), defines the quality of a conservation area as being: "the character or appearance of which it

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