A report seeking the Committee’s approval of the Draft St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal.

Further to Minute 6 of the previous meeting, the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking the Committee’s approval of the revised draft Conservation Area Appraisal for the St Peters Area.

The report explained that the St Peters Conservation Area had been designated in 1988 under the Town & Country Planning Act 1971 (as amended) and a full conservation area appraisal had been adopted in 2009.  Following discussions over the Council’s approach to the historic environment, the Council had agreed to support the setting up of a Reading Conservation Areas Advisory Committee (CAAC).  The report stated that one of the primary concerns of the CAAC was the long length of time since many conservation area appraisals had been prepared and adopted.  According to best practice, appraisals should be updated every 5-10 years and many of these appraisals were now in need of review.  It had subsequently been agreed that the CAAC would lead on reviews of conservation area appraisals in consultation with local communities. The report explained that the Appraisal of the St Peter’s Conservation Area was the first review to be completed.

A public consultation had taken place between 11 July and 14 September 2018.  A summary of the comments received, as well as a response from the CAAC/CADRA and the Council were attached to the report at Appendix 1.  There had been no substantive changes made to the draft Conservation Area Appraisal.  The final draft of the Conservation Area Appraisal was attached to the report at Appendix 2.

At the invitation of the Chair, Kim Pearce addressed the Committee on behalf of the Conservation Area Advisory Committee.

Resolved -     

(1)        That the draft St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal be approved;

(2)        That the Head of Planning, Development and Regulatory Services be authorised to make any minor amendments necessary to the draft St Peters Conservation Area Appraisal in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, prior to final publication.