Agenda item

To consider the finalised draft of the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan document and recommend to Cabinet for adoption.

The Committee considered a report which fed back on the Noel Park Conservation  Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan following the expiration of the public consultation period. The document had been amended in light of the representations received. The Committee was asked to review the finalise draft of the document and recommend it to Cabinet for adoption. The AD for Planning and Lucy Morrow, Conservation Assistant introduced the report.

Ms Morrow informed the committee that, following concerns raised previously around prevention of external security grills, gates and shutters being installed, the report was amended prior to going to consultation to reflect these concerns. Cllr Bevan enquired whether the report referred to security grills on windows as well as doors and requested that the report be amended to include a recommendation that residents seek advice from the crime prevention officer. Ms Morrow agreed to include mention of window security grills and to suggest seeking advice from the crime prevention officer.

Action: Lucy Morrow

The Chair raised concerns around enforcement of the conservation appraisal and enquired what was being done to ensure adequate enforcement took place. Officers responded that the Council was aiming to improve its processes within the Planning Enforcement team and progress was being made on this front. Officers also fed back to the Committee that they were  engaging with the Team Noel Park project and with HfH about how they could improve joint working and appropriately target interventions through the TNP project.

Cllr Weston enquired what the position was regarding enforcement for those residents who currently lived outside of the Article 4 and Conservation Area but would be caught in the expanded Article 4 and Conservation Area. Officers responded that the Article 4 declaration was not retrospective and so if changes were made under Permitted Development at the time, they would remain permitted.

In response to a question around outreach work and community engagement, officers advised that the community engagement had already been undertaken as part of the consultation process and it was planned to deliver leaflets to local residents following adoption of the character appraisal and management plan.

Cllr Carroll enquired what would be done in the instance of somebody within the conservation area installing UPVC windows. Officers responded that the normal route would be an Enforcement Notice requiring their replacement. The Chair requested that officers feedback to Cabinet on the need for an effective and consistent approach to enforcement.

The Committee noted the comments received on the draft document and recommended that Cabinet  adopted the Noel Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management plan, subject to the report being amended to include mention of security grills in front of windows as well as doors.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the comments received to the consultation on the draft document and how these have been taken into account in the finalising the draft Noel Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, highlighted at paragraph 5.18 and set out in the Consultation Statement at Appendix 2 of the report;

2.    To recommend to Cabinet that it adopt the finalised draft Noel Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan as attached at Appendix 2 of the report (subject to expanding the prohibition of security grates to cover both windows and doors);

3.    To recommend to Cabinet that the Article 4 Direction be extended to include the whole of the Noel Park Conservation Area in accordance with the appraisal recommendations.