Agenda item

* RESOLVED –

(1)     That the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, as amended following consultation, and appended to the report, be adopted and be communicated to all interested parties.

(2)             That the Chatsworth Road Conservation Area, as indicated by the boundary shown on the plan appended to the report, be agreed for adoption.

(3)             That officers prepare, consult and undertake the formal designation of an Article 4 Direction.

The Development Management and Conservation Manager submitted a report on the proposed designation of a new Conservation Area along Chatsworth Road.

Following a detailed character appraisal and public consultation exercise, an area encompassing Chatsworth Road was proposed as a new Conservation Area, in addition to the eleven existing Conservation Areas within Chesterfield Borough. The establishment of this new Conservation Area had been set as a priority in the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2013-2015 under its corporate aim, “a Sustainable Community – Our built heritage will be protected and enhanced”.

An evaluation of the area had been carried out, including a proposed boundary, and on 9^th September 2013, the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Planning had agreed a public consultation exercise on a draft appraisal document.

A six week public consultation exercise had been undertaken from the 4^th November 2013 to 13^th December 2013. Considerable effort had been made to ensure that as many people as possible were aware of the consultation exercise, including letters to all properties and businesses within the area and its immediate surroundings and to amenity groups and relevant organisations. Details of the proposals had also been made available at the Council’s Customer Services Centre, Chesterfield Library, St Thomas’s Centre, on the Council’s website and at South and West Community Assembly meetings.

Representations received had been considered and amendments made to the appraisal document. Details of comments received, initial responses and actions taken were attached as an Appendix to the report.

The area was generally recognised as having a special character and appearance worth safeguarding, and public support for designation outweighed the objections.

The responses received were split 65.57% in support (40), 22.95% against (14) and 11.48% (7) not expressing an opinion.

The Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan document was attached to the report.

If the area was designated there would need to be a more thorough survey to identify properties which should be covered by an Article 4 Direction, which would control certain permitted developments, and consultation with the property owners directly before such a Direction was imposed.

It was confirmed that where existing planning applications had already been determined prior to the formal adoption of the Conservation Area these would not be affected by the Conservation Area status.

* RESOLVED –

(1)     That the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, as amended following consultation, and appended to the report, be adopted and be communicated to all interested parties.

(2)             That the Chatsworth Road Conservation Area, as indicated by the boundary shown on the plan appended to the report, be agreed for adoption.

(3)             That officers prepare, consult and undertake the formal designation of an Article 4 Direction.

Reason for DECISION

To implement the Council’s Corporate Plan aims and advance the conservation of the historic environment within the Borough, and to fulfil the statutory procedures set out in sections 69 and 70 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, which require local planning authorities to determine which parts of their area are of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and to designate those areas as Conservation Areas.