Durham City Conservation Area Management Plan (CAMP) phase 3 consultation

Following a review of all of the feedback from the Strategic Overview and Management Strategy consultation and conservation boundary areas and character appraisals consultation, we are now presenting the full CAMP for Durham City, and want to give everyone who lives, works, studies, visits or has an interest in the city the chance to have one last say on the documents.

We have made changes to the Strategic Overview and Management Strategy and finalised the 7 new conservation area boundaries. We have also now included the Durham Castle and World Heritage Site Setting guidance document in the Strategic Overview.

 All of the feedback will be used to finalise the full CAMP to be put forwards for formal adoption.

Previous feedback

The CAMP documents

It is recognised that the CAMP is lengthy, but Durham City is an extensive place with a complex historic environment. This consists of a well preserved medieval core crowned majestically by Durham Castle and Cathedral on the peninsula, streets characterised by Georgian townhouses, areas of Victorian and Edwardian residential expansion, intermingled with late 20th century development and a 21st century quarter.

Because of this, we have sub-divided it into 7 conservation areas, each requiring their own appraisal, the need for a document setting out the processes, and a document setting ways to manage change in a way that conserves and enhances the character and appearance of the historic areas. Such detailed evidence is required to inform decisions affecting the conservation areas in the future.

The full CAMP is made up of 3 parts and 10 documents that work together.

Part 1 - Strategic Overview

This plays an important role by providing an understanding of the city as a whole, in terms of its special architectural and architectural interest, the challenges it faces and the potential opportunities for its regeneration and enhancement. It also set out the purpose, aims and objective of the CAMP, how it ties into other wider strategic plans, and gives as an introduction to the proposed seven new conservation areas. We have amended this document following consultation in September 2024. You can read about these changes at Strategic Overview and Management Strategy consultation.

Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Setting guidance

The Durham Castle and World Heritage Site Setting guidance document will help with understanding and assessing development impacts, and ensure the continued protection and enhancement of, the setting of the World Heritage Site in the planning and development processes. This guidance provides a process to help applicants assess the impact of their proposal on the setting of the World Heritage Site, regardless of the size of their development.

The document therefore directly supports the CAMP, and the current and future planning polices relating to the World Heritage Site. It is now part of the Strategic Overview, and will support active management and preservation of the World Heritage Site. You can read more about the management and protection of the World Heritage site at Conserving our World Heritage Site consultation.

Part 2 - Conservation Area Character Appraisals

The 7 appraisal documents set out what defines each area's special architectural and historic interest, character, and sense of place, to warrant designation. They also identify negative elements, issues and threats that can detract from the area's character and appearance, so that they can be addressed in the future, and opportunities for improving and enhancing the area.

The following are some examples of boundary changes include the inclusion of:

• McNally Place and part of Green Lane in Gilesgate
• Bent House Farm and additional landscape at Old Durham
• Durham University’s ‘Hill Colleges’ excluding Grey College and Collingwood College
• St Johns Church in Nevilles Cross owing to its architectural and historic interest, and key presence

and the removal of:

• 20th century housing areas that are of no special interest such as Orchard Drive, Wearside Drive, part of Farnley Ridge and Farnley Hey Road, and Valeside
• the former DLI Museum and its grounds as it is separated from the main historic core by the railway line and is mainly in modern surroundings

You can read more about Phase two consultation feedback and outcomes regarding the boundary areas at Durham City Conservation Area boundary areas and character appraisals.

Part 3 - Management Strategy

This document provides recommendations, aims and actions, around the 9 themes, to help deliver an overarching positive strategy for the conservation areas management going forwards. It will help to tackle the negative issues, problems and threats identified in the appraisals in an appropriate way.

You can read about the changes we have made to this document following previous consultation at Strategic Overview and Management Strategy consultation.

The future

Once adopted the Durham City CAMP will be a valuable tool that will be used to help deliver positive change and shape future developments and will be used in making planning decisions. It will reinforce our policy objectives of promoting, protecting and enhancing the historic environment of Durham City.

Email letstalkcountydurham@durham.gov.uk if you would like the information in an alternative format including copies of the conservation area boundary maps, or would like further information. 

Alternatively, please email any comments directly to design.conservation@durham.gov.uk.

The consultation closing date for online comments is 13 April 2026.