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World Heritage Site (WHS) residents guide

Telford & Wrekin Council have produced a guide for residents of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site which provides information to help make informed choices and decisions when considering making changes to or carrying out works to both the dwelling house, and the land that surrounds the property.

Download the WHS residents guide

The area is also designated as the ‘Severn Gorge Conservation Area’, to ensure that the special character and appearance of the area are taken into account in planning decisions. Within the boundary of Telford and Wrekin, an ‘Article 4 Direction’ has been applied to all dwellings in the WHS, which means that planning permission may be needed for certain relatively minor works, so that the overall character of the area isn’t harmed by successive small scale alterations, and the ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ is protected now and in the future.

Additional designations, such as

  • listed buildings
  • scheduled monuments
  • Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)
  • Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

are also in place to protect the character of the area as a whole.

This guide details background information as to why the Gorge is a WHS, and explains the need for the additional measures required to protect the built and natural environment of an area with this status. It also advises on what should be considered when making any alterations.

Essential information also included in the guide:

  • what is planning permission required for?
  • what is a listed building and when is Listed Building Consent required?
  • archaeological matters
  • ecological considerations
  • Tree Preservation Orders and trees in conservation areas
  • access and parking.

Download the WHS residents guide or visit your local Parish Council offices.

Last updated: 07/04/2022 11:00