Areas and individual buildings of 'special architectural or historic interest' can be designated as conservation areas to protect their heritage against detrimental development.
Every local authority has a duty to determine which parts of its area are designated as a conservation area.
Havant Borough has fourteen designated conservation areas with a diverse range of size and character.
Town centres at Havant and Emsworth have been designated, as well as smaller groups of buildings at Lymbourn Road and North Hayling.
Conservation areas often centre around a listed building within urban areas, but not always, as in the case of Sir George Staunton Conservation Area, an historic parkland with farm buildings and follies.
Within Conservation Areas, Article 4 Directions can be put in place to remove permitted development rights where it is necessary to retain control over the way such development takes place. Havant Borough has one Article 4 direction in place in the Langstone Conservation Area.