Agenda item - Queen's Park Conservation Area Character Statement

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)           That the Queen’s Park Conservation Area Character Statement be approved for publication.

2)           That the Queen’s Park Conservation Area boundary be extended to include numbers 2-27 Freshfield Place (consecutive) and Queen’s Park Primary School.

3)           That the principle of making an Article 4 Direction on the Queen’s Park Conservation Area be approved in principle, subject to informal public consultation on the details, in respect of permitted development rights under Schedule 2, Parts 1 and 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).

29.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that summarised the response to the public consultation on the draft Queen’s Park Conservation Area Character Statement and sought approval to publish the final document as well as endorsement for the extension of the boundary of the conservation area and for the principle of making an Article 4 Direction to remove certain permitted development rights.

29.2      Councillor Marsh stated that she he hoped Queen’s Park School could be re-assured about joining the Conservation Area in the long-term.

29.3      Councillor Mears noted that the committee were being asked to approve an Article 4 Direction for the Queen’s Park area in principle yet at the previous meeting the committee were informed there would be a report to the committee on Article 4 Direction later in the year. Councillor Mears stated that it appeared different criteria were being applied to different wards and asked for clarification.

29.4      The Head of Planning explained that the report to be submitted to the committee later in the year would be a review of the Article 4 boundary across the city, including Rottingdean Coastal ward whereas the report being considered sought to control minor alterations and was very specific to this Conservation Area.

29.5      Councillor Norman noted the concerns raised by Queen’s Park Primary School about the possibility of additional time and costs when considering future maintenance or alterations to the school and asked for clarification on what would constitute significant additional controls as described in the response by officers to the objection.

29.6      The Principal Planning Officer explained that there was some work schools could undertake without requiring planning permission and being in a Conservation Area would not impact upon that. There would be a requirement that new buildings and extensions to be of similar character to existing buildings and any proposal that was very different would need planning permission.

29.7      RESOLVED-

1)           That the Queen’s Park Conservation Area Character Statement be approved for publication.

2)           That the Queen’s Park Conservation Area boundary be extended to include numbers 2-27 Freshfield Place (consecutive) and Queen’s Park Primary School.

3)           That the principle of making an Article 4 Direction on the Queen’s Park Conservation Area be approved in principle, subject to informal public consultation on the details, in respect of permitted development rights under Schedule 2, Parts 1 and 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).