Agenda item

This report presents the results of a public consultation exercise on the draft Heslington Conservation Area Appraisal which includes a boundary review. The report recommends that, following minor revisions to the report, the document be adopted.

Members considered a report, which presented the results of a public consultation exercise on the draft Heslington Conservation Area appraisal, and boundary review. The report recommended that, following minor revisions to the report, the document be adopted.

Members were reminded that there had been a six week consultation exercise following which 20 replies had been received, details of which were set out in Annex C of the report.

Officers referred to additional comments which had been received requesting the inclusion of The Crescent and the Holmefield Lane development, together with a buffer strip of land between the School and The Crescent within the Conservation Area boundary. It was pointed out that the boundary review previously undertaken in 2004 had discounted the inclusion of these additional areas. It was felt that the Green Belt status of these areas should be sufficient to protect them.

Some Members expressed concerns in relation to the non-inclusion of the buffer zone as a key part of the village settlement. They also pointed out that it would be helpful if the first paragraph detailed the status of the report and how it fitted in with the hierarchy of Council policies.

Following further discussion consideration was then given to the following options:

Option 1-     Approve Heslington Conservation Area Appraisal with the changes suggested in Annex C of this report.

Option 2 -   Approve Heslington Conservation Area Appraisal with further changes or fewer changes than proposed above.

Option 3 -   Do not approve Heslington Conservation Area Appraisal and boundary review proposals.

Members thanked Officers for a detailed, high quality report, which would assist them in the future development of the village and its surroundings. 

RESOLVED:             That approval be given, for planning purposes, to the Heslington Conservation Area Appraisal as proposed in Annex D and as amended by Annex C of the report and the additional under mentioned changes: ^1.

·        Update Paragraph 10.06 to state that every effort will be made to reduce the impact of the link road development on Heslington Hall, Field Lane and Deans Acre;

·        Officers to examine possible modifications to Paragraphs 10.7 and 10.8 to ensure that the link road meets the needs of the Conservation Area.

·        Map 8 – Existing Uses (page 109) – Amend reference to ‘Building Site’ in the key for the site at the rear of Main Street to “Residential”;

·        Map 11 – Negative and Neutral (page 112) – Mark the older school building on School Lane as making a ‘neutral’ rather than a ‘negative’ contribution to the Conservation Area

REASON:                  The document is a thorough analysis of the character and appearance of the conservation area and it has been prepared in accordance with current guidance from English Heritage. As a document it is clearly written and accessible to a wide range of users.  The consultation method and range accords with previous practice.  Information and views of consultees have been carefully considered in the amendments proposed.  The adoption of the document will assist with the formulation and determination of development proposals within the conservation area and adjacent to it.