Issue - meetings

The purpose of the report is to recommend that the Godalming Crownpits 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 Conservation Area Appraisal for Godalming Crownpits be adopted as a material planning consideration.

The Executive has agreed to RECOMMEND to the COUNCIL that the Conservation Area Appraisal for Godalming Crownpits be adopted as a material planning consideration.

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

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

166.1  Godalming Crownpits 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). 

166.2  In 2011 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.

166.3  CAAs are undertaken to identify and explain the character of the Conservation Area (CA).  This document will identify the specific qualities of the Godalming Crownpits 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.

166.4  The need to undertake CAA 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.  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.

166.5  The CAA for Godalming Crownpits is attached at Annexe 4. 

166.6  As part of the consultation process, a walkabout was conducted with Local Councillors and representatives from the Parish Council.  A public consultation was undertaken to support the development of the CAA and to ask the public’s views of the proposed extensions.  The consultation started on 12 December 2014 for six weeks, ending on 23 January 2015.

166.7  The following methods to inform the public of the consultation included:

·         Letter to all residents in the CA

·         Letter for key stakeholders including:

·         Parish Council

·         Surrey County Council

·         Statutory consultees (English Heritage, Natural England and Environment Agency)

·         Relevant internal Waverley officers

·         Local Councillors

166.8  In addition to the key consultees (English Heritage, Natural England, Godalming Trust and Godalming Town Council) 4 responses were received to the consultation.  An additional anonymous response was also received.  The responses have been summarised in the Consultation Statement which is attached at Annexe 5.

166.9  The Executive

RECOMMENDS that

71.       the Conservation Area Appraisal for Godalming Crownpits be adopted as a material planning consideration.

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