Block Management in Wiltshire
245 conservation areas, 48 Article 4 directions, and one council for everything outside Swindon.
We provide block, estate and leasehold management across Wiltshire for residents' management companies, RTM companies and freeholders, from accounts to compliance. Wiltshire Council is the sole principal authority, though Swindon blocks go to Swindon Borough Council. The county has 245 conservation areas and 48 Article 4 directions, and only 8.9 per cent of households live in purpose-built blocks, dispersed across a large rural area.
What We Would Put First for a Block in Wiltshire
Check Section 257 HMO Status at Handover
A converted block in Wiltshire can be a licensable HMO under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 where it did not meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two thirds of flats are owner-occupied. We would check this when taking on the block.
Leasehold managementGive Notice Before Tree Works
Tree works at a block in any of Wiltshire's 245 conservation areas need six weeks' notice to the planning authority. We would build that notice period into grounds maintenance planning and keep the correspondence on file.
Maintenance and repairsSet Up the Right Authority Contacts
Swindon has not been part of Wiltshire Council since 1 April 1997, so a Swindon block's planning, building control and flood liaison go to Swindon Borough Council. We would set up the correct contacts when taking over from a previous agent.
Changing agentInsure for Combined Flood Mechanisms
Chalk geology means runoff, groundwater and main river flooding can occur at once, and surface water is concentrated in Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Calne. We would present the block's actual exposure when placing buildings insurance.
InsuranceManaging a Block in Wiltshire at a Glance
- Local authority
- Wiltshire Council
- Authority type
- Unitary
- Building control
- Wiltshire Council Building Control
- Fire and rescue service
- Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Water and sewerage
- Wessex Water across most of the county, with Thames Water in the north
- Setting
- Inland
What It Costs to Move a Block in Wiltshire to Us
Management is a fixed annual fee, quoted for the building and agreed before we start. We take no commission and no third-party incentives, so the fee is the whole of what we earn from the building. Taking a block on carries a one-off start-up fee, set by size:
| Block size | Fee |
|---|---|
| Start-up fee, up to 10 units | £420.00 |
| Start-up fee, up to 25 units | £540.00 |
| Start-up fee, 50 units and above | £660.00 |
Taken from our published Additional Services price list, PBM Form #01-27 rev.6, effective 23 June 2025. All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT. See the full price list and how a handover works.
245 Conservation Areas and About 12,000 Listed Buildings
Wiltshire Council publishes a figure of 245 conservation areas in its own heritage topic paper and in its dataset on the national planning platform. Most are historic parts of towns and villages, with a few covering special landscapes such as the canal corridor at Wilcot. For a block inside one, external works and tree works need checking against conservation controls before they are specified.
Wiltshire Council publishes approximately 12,000 listed buildings, around 1,300 scheduled monuments, 43 historic parks and gardens and three national landscapes. The national list records 12,290 entries, 1,310 scheduled monuments and 43 registered parks and gardens, consistent with the council's figures. Devizes alone has more than 500 listed buildings. Works to a listed block can need listed building consent, which should be in place before a specification is tendered.
The county contains the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site, whose core area covers 5,157 hectares. World Heritage status is a material consideration in planning decisions affecting the site and its setting, which reaches further than the boundary itself. For a block within that setting, a planning application for external works may need to address the site's status.
Purpose-Built Flats Run at Half the England Share
At the 2021 Census 19,107 of Wiltshire's 215,081 households, 8.9 per cent, were in a purpose-built block, roughly half the England figure of 17.1. Only 1.2 per cent were in a converted or shared house, against 3.5 for England. Flat stock is dispersed across a large rural unitary area rather than concentrated in one city. For a block, contractor travel and response times are worth allowing for in maintenance contracts.
Chalk Lets River, Groundwater and Runoff Flood Together
River and groundwater rather than sea, and the two combine. Wiltshire Council is the lead local flood authority for its own area. Five main river systems drain the county: the Thames, the Bristol Avon, the Hampshire Avon, the Dun and the Stour. The council's strategic flood risk assessment identifies river flooding as a risk in Bradford on Avon, Chippenham, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Melksham, Warminster and Salisbury. Surface water is a separate and larger issue, concentrated in Salisbury, Trowbridge, Warminster and Calne. Chalk geology means surface runoff, groundwater flooding and main river flooding can all occur at once. For a block, insurance should be placed on its actual exposure to all three, not on river flooding alone.
48 Article 4 Directions, Mostly Conservation Controls
48 Article 4 directions on Wiltshire Council's own dataset, overwhelmingly conservation area controls named after settlements: Ashley, Avebury, Box, Bromham, Calne, Castle Combe, Chippenham, Corsham, Devizes, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Mere, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Tidworth and villages around Trowbridge among others. The council's stated approach is to consider an Article 4(2) direction where unlisted buildings define the character of a street. On houses in multiple occupation the council's guidance describes only the national mandatory regime. For a block in a conservation area, the relevant direction should be checked before windows, doors or roofs are specified.
What Else Changes About Managing a Block in Wiltshire
- Swindon is not Wiltshire Council and has not been since 1 April 1997. The order that made Wiltshire unitary in 2009 does not mention Swindon at all, and a Swindon block's planning, building control and flood liaison all go to Swindon Borough Council.
- One authority handles everything else. Wiltshire Council is the sole principal authority for Wiltshire, so planning, building control, housing standards and flood risk sit with the same body, with no district tier below it.
- A converted block of flats can itself be a licensable HMO under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 where the conversion did not meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. A purpose-built block cannot, because the building must have been converted.
- Tree works at a block in any of the 245 conservation areas need six weeks' notice to the planning authority, and demolition where consent is required and has not been obtained is a criminal offence, which catches replacing a structure with a replica.
Tribunal Decisions on Blocks in Wiltshire
Published First-tier Tribunal decisions on named developments here, each read in full. They show what the tribunal expects of whoever runs a block in this area.
| Development | Issue | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| 64-72 Hillier Road | Service charge | 6 November 2023 |
| The Old Rectory, Malmesbury Road | Service charge | 4 May 2022 |
| 121 Victoria Road | Service charge | 8 January 2020 |
Going Deeper in Wiltshire
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Wiltshire Questions
Is a Block in Swindon Covered by Wiltshire Council?
No. Swindon has not been part of Wiltshire Council since 1 April 1997, and the order that made Wiltshire unitary in 2009 does not mention Swindon at all. A Swindon block's planning, building control and flood liaison all go to Swindon Borough Council. Elsewhere, Wiltshire Council is the sole principal authority, with no district tier below it.
Can Our Converted Block in Wiltshire Need an HMO Licence?
It can. A converted block of flats may be a licensable HMO under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 where the conversion did not meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. A purpose-built block cannot, because the building must have been converted. The council's guidance describes only the national mandatory regime.
Does the Stonehenge World Heritage Site Affect Planning Near Our Block?
It can reach beyond the boundary. The Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site has a core area of 5,157 hectares, and its status is a material consideration in planning decisions affecting the site and its setting. Wiltshire also has around 1,300 scheduled monuments and 43 historic parks and gardens.
Nearby Areas
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