Issue - meetings

The purpose of the report is to recommend that the Witley Conservation Area Appraisal (CAA) be adopted by the Council as a material consideration and used in the determination of any application for planning permission and listed building consent within the Conservation Area (CA).

Recommendation

It is recommended to the Council that the CAA for Witley be adopted as a material planning consideration, to include the following amendments to the boundary:

a)    Inclusion of Enton Mill Area

b)   Inclusion of the Gardens at Witley Lodge

c)    Removal of The Tree Nursery to the rear of Churchfields and All Saints Church

d)   Removal of George Eliot Close (in part)

e)    Removal of the South-west corner of CA on Church Lane.

The Executive has agreed to RECOMMEND to the COUNCIL that the Conservation Area Appraisal for Witley be adopted as a material planning consideration, to include the following amendments to the boundary:

a)    Inclusion of Enton Mill Area

b)    Inclusion of the Gardens at Witley Lodge

c)    Removal of The Tree Nursery to the rear of Churchfields and All Saints Church

d)    Removal of George Eliot Close (in part)

e)    Removal of the South-west corner of CA on Church Lane.

[This item is recommended to the Council for decision and is not subject to the call-in procedure].

[Reason: to recommend the adoption of a Conservation Area Appraisal as a material planning consideration].

6.1       Witley is one of 43 Conservation Areas (CA) in Waverley.  Currently eight Conservation Area Appraisals (CAAs) have been completed (Wrecclesham, Bramley, Farnham Town Centre, Wheelerstreet, Godalming Town Centre, Milford, Chiddingfold and Haslemere). 

6.2       In 2011 the Executive agreed a programme for the commencement of CAAs. This is the sixth CAA to be completed since the programme commenced. Wheelerstreet was the pilot appraisal which was used to test the guidance set out by English Heritage. Following successful adoption of the Wheelerstreet CAA, this approach formed the basis of all future CAAs.

6.3       CAAs are undertaken to identify and explain the character of the Conservation Area (CA).  This document will identify the specific qualities of the Witley CA and thereby help to manage change within the area.  The Management Plan section also identifies a variety of projects that should be implemented to preserve and enhance the area.  The need to undertake CAAs is set out in the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (section 71) and is supported through saved policy HE8 of the Waverley Local Plan.

6.4       It is therefore considered pertinent for Waverley to undertake CAAs with the aim to appraise the character of each CA; identify the qualities which should be preserved and enhanced, and produce a management plan to include proposals for enhancement where necessary.  This process also allows a review of the boundary and an assessment of adjacent areas to evaluate whether the boundary should be extended.  The CAA is attached at Annexe 1. 

6.5       Five amendments to the conservation area boundary are proposed within the Witley CAA. The amendments have been proposed following careful consideration of English Heritage guidance, and the architectural and historic interest of each area. The boundary has not been reviewed since 1980, and there have been significant changes to Witley and CA guidance in that time. There are few opportunities to review the boundary of a CA, so it is timely to undertake this work as part of the CAA. It is unknown when the opportunity to assess the boundary will present itself again.  The reasons for each amendment are fully explained in the following paragraphs.

Extension: Enton Mill

6.6       The properties in this area reflect a wide range of architectural detailing styles which are typical of the Surrey vernacular. Traditional tile hanging, timber framing, brick nogging, leaded light windows, tall red brick chimneys and galletting all add to the character of the lane. Additionally, the vestiges of the historical use of the mill found in the materials such as the weather-boarding, and the varied roof heights and detailing, such as an eyebrow dormer on Enton Mill, provide particular interest and beauty to the area. The architectural detailing of this group of properties is akin to the properties within the current CA boundary, but additionally supplements further the architectural interest of Witley in terms of traditional Surrey styles and the historic connection with the Ponds.

6.7       The setting of the Enton Mill area adds to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6