Issue - meetings

To enable the Cabinet to give consideration to recommendations made to it by the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee in relation to the second tranche of five in a series of ‘Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans’ that had been prepared for the Council by Essex Place Services.

RESOLVED that the new Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans for: Harwich Old Town (Appendix 1); Manningtree and Mistley (Appendix 2); Frinton and Walton (Appendix 3); Brightlingsea (Appendix 4); and Great Bentley (Appendix 5) be approved for consultation with the public and other interested parties.

Cabinet was aware that the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee (“the Committee”), at its meeting held on 11 May 2022 (Minute 7 referred), had considered a comprehensive report (and appendices) of the Acting Director (Planning) which had reported to it the second tranche of five in a series of ‘Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans’ that had been prepared for the Council by Essex Place Services. That report had also sought the Committee’s recommendation to Cabinet that they be approved for public consultation purposes.

After discussion the Committee’s decision was to:-

“RESOLVE unanimously that the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee –

(a)   notes and welcomes the new Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans for Harwich Old Town (Appendix 1); Manningtree and Mistley (Appendix 2); Frinton and Walton (Appendix 3); Brightlingsea (Appendix 4); and Great Bentley (Appendix 5);

(b)   recommends to Cabinet that the above documents (forming Appendices 1-5) be approved for consultation with the public and other interested parties; and

(c)   notes that Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans for the District’s other remaining Conservation Areas will be brought before the Committee in due course over the next 9 months.”

The Cabinet had before it the response of the Planning Portfolio Holder thereto as follows:-

“I thank the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee for its consideration of the next five Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plans and I welcome the recommendation to Cabinet that these be published for consultation. Reviewing all of the District’s Conservation Areas is one of the key actions in the Council’s Heritage Strategy and the progress so far has been very good. Ensuring we have an up-to-date appraisal for each and every Conservation Area will enable residents, developers, planners and our Planning Committee to understand the key characteristics that make each area special and which need to be preserved and enhanced when making planning applications and determining them. They will also enable us to reconsider the boundaries of each area and determine whether or not any Article 4 Directions are needed to provide an extra level of protection and control.

I furthermore welcome and agree with the Committee’s comments around the importance of engaging local residents and heritage societies who hold an irreplaceable wealth of local knowledge that will improve and strengthen the content of the appraisals; and I also welcome the opportunity for local people to put forward suggestions for buildings and structures to go onto a local list of non-designated heritage assets.” 

Having considered the recommendation of the Planning Policy & Local Plan Committee, together with the response of the Planning Portfolio Holder thereto:-

It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor P B Honeywood and:-

RESOLVED that the new Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans for: Harwich Old Town (Appendix 1); Manningtree and Mistley (Appendix 2); Frinton and Walton (Appendix 3); Brightlingsea (Appendix 4); and Great Bentley (Appendix 5) be approved for consultation with the public and other interested parties.