Justification and Amplification Section 2.1: Purpose of Character Protection

The majority of established residential areas, villages and smaller settlements do not have the distinctive character of Conservation Areas (CAs) or Areas of Townscape Character (ATCs). However, existing policy emphasises that this does not mean that their quality of residential environment is unimportant. These areas too can be vulnerable to changes in their physical environment particularly from the redevelopment of existing houses and development on infill sites at higher densities than that of the surrounding area. The Department therefore wishes to continue to ensure that future housing development in such areas is also carefully controlled.