The Cabinet Member for Planning introduced the report which set-out some proposed boundary changes and that following the recent review work, the conservation area should be formally re-designated under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990.  He welcomed the proposed extension of the conservation area into East Street.

The Conservation & Design Manager drew attention to the tabled paper which had also been emailed to Members and added to the website.  The paper set-out comments received from the Practice Manager at The Chestnuts Surgery, East Street and these were read-out.  The Conservation & Design Manager explained that the practice had not been notified about the review at the time, due to an administrative error, but had since been invited to make comments, and had done so.  He added that there was a good collection of buildings in East Street and that they were worthy of having the protection that being in a conservation area offered.

There was some discussion on the point made in the tabled paper on the effect on property prices when a property was within a conservation area.  The Conservation & Design Manager acknowledged that being in a conservation area was an additional land charge and said the process of designation should not delay any sale going ahead.  He advised that the re-designation was likely to take place by the end of 2021.  He added that the re-designation should not materially affect the sale of a property, and the usual effect of being in a conservation area was in a positive way.  In response to a question from the Vice-Chairman in the Chair, the Conservation & Design Manager confirmed that the boundary in the conservation area character appraisal document had been corrected (following the earlier report to the Local Plan Panel) to include the surgery building within the conservation area boundary extension to East Street, as per the original intention.

The Cabinet Member for Planning proposed the recommendations which were seconded by the Cabinet Member for Community.

Resolved:

(1)      That the responses received from the public consultation exercise (summarised in the response table at Appendix iii and set-out in full at Appendix v) be noted.

(2)      That the content of the conservation area character appraisal and associated management strategy document for the Sittingbourne Conservation Area be noted.

(3)      That in light of (1) and (2) above, it be agreed that the Sittingbourne Conservation Area is of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and that as such, that it should be re-designated as a conservation area in accordance with section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990.

(4)      That in light of (1) and (2) above, it be agreed that the boundary to the conservation area be re-drawn as proposed on Map 1 and the related series of maps in the character appraisal and management plan document for the Sittingbourne Conservation Area to be formally adopted for development management purposes.