Agenda item

[Report of the Assistant Director for Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet  Member for Housing Regeneration and Planning.]

This report seeks approval for the adoption of six Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans covering the Tottenham High Road Historic Corridor. Following a six week public consultation, the documents have been amended having regard to comments received. They include recommendations for changes to Conservation Area boundaries.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning introduced the report which sought Cabinet’s approval for the adoption of six Conservation Area appraisal and management plan documents (attached at Appendices 4-9) that make up the Tottenham High Road Historic Corridor - North Tottenham, Scotland Green, Bruce Grove, Tottenham Green, Seven Sisters/Page Green and South Tottenham, following completion of public consultation.

In response to questions from Councillor Ejiofor, the following information was noted:

·         Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans will be used by the Council to inform decisions about how best to manage these areas, including enforcement action and as a basis for determining the acceptability of development proposals. It was hoped that the appraisals and management plans will be of assistance to property owners in the maintenance and management of their own buildings.

·         In relation to 7 Bruce Grove –The Planning Service were working with the owner and responses to the planning orders were improving. The Assistant Director for Planning explained that having a more up to date Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans will better enable the Council to protect buildings where needed, but it should be noted that some buildings are owned by community organisations who may not have a lot of funding to take improvements forward. However, by having a better framework in place will help escalate improvements.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the comments received to the consultation, and how these have been taken in to account in finalising the draft documents, highlighted in paragraph ­6.7-6.11 and set out in detail in appendices 1 and 2.

2.    To approve the adoption and publication of the finalised Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans as attached at Appendices 4-9.

3.    To authorise the various changes to Conservation Area boundaries detailed in Appendix 3, including the removal of the Conservation Area designation from South Tottenham.

Reasons for decision

The Council has a statutory duty to ensure that conservation areas are

preserved or enhanced and publish policies for the implementation of the same.

The current appraisals for the Tottenham High Road conservation areas have not been updated since 2009. Up-to-date appraisals and management plans will provide a sound basis for development management decisions which are defensible on appeal. The documents will also serve as a useful guide for the Council as well as the property owners and those putting forward heritage projects and development proposals as to how best to preserve or enhance the area’s character.

The Conservation Areas fall within the area covered by the emerging Tottenham Area Action Plan, which promotes development and change along certain parts of the High Road. It is therefore important that the Council adopt these documents in order to support the Council’s local plan policies and ensure that, where development and change is proposed, this takes into account the significance of the area and opportunities to preserve or enhance its historic character.

The appraisals include recommendations for revisions to the Conservation Area boundaries as per the statutory duty under Section 69 of Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act 1990). The Council must ensure that designated conservation areas are of sufficient special architectural or historic interest to warrant designation, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 127) and Historic England guidelines.

Alternative options considered

The existing conservation area appraisal for the Tottenham High Road Historic Corridor was updated in 2009. However, continuing to use this document is not considered advisable. The area has undergone significant change since the document was written and it is therefore out of date. The emerging Tottenham Area Action Plan (Policy AAP5: Conservation and Heritage) indicates the need for review of such documents.

The appraisals include recommendations for alterations to the boundaries of the conservation areas. The option of leaving the boundaries as they currently are being considered but this course is not recommended. Some areas have been altered to such an extent that they no longer warrant statutory designation. The National Planning Policy Framework (Paragraph 127) states that “When considering the designation of conservation areas, local planning authorities should ensure that the area justifies such status because of its special architectural or historic interest, and that the concept of conservation is not devalued through the designation of areas that lack special interest”. In cases where there is no discernible special character, the designation is unwarranted.