A report seeking approval to conduct a public consultation on the Draft Conservation Area Appraisal for The Mount Conservation Area. A short presentation will also be given by representatives from the Reading Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC).

The Committee considered a report that sought approval to conduct a public consultation on the draft Conservation Area Appraisal for The Mount Conservation Area commencing in July 2026. The following documents were appended to the report:

• Appendix 1 - The Mount Conservation Area Appraisal - Equality Impact Assessment
• Appendix 2 - The Mount Conservation Area Appraisal Draft June 2026

The report stated that, following discussions regarding the Council’s approach to managing and protecting the historic environment, the Council had supported the establishment of the Reading Conservation Areas Advisory Committee (CAAC). A key concern identified by the CAAC had been that many of Reading’s conservation area appraisals had not been reviewed for a considerable period, despite best-practice guidance recommending updates every five to ten years. It had therefore been agreed that the CAAC would lead a programme of appraisal reviews, working in consultation with local communities. In line with this programme of conservation area reviews, the Mount Conservation Area Appraisal was the fifth appraisal to be undertaken by the CAAC, following the completed reviews of the St Peters’, Castle Hill/Russell Street/Oxford Road, Christchurch and Eldon Square conservation areas.

The report explained that local planning authorities had a statutory duty under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework to review existing conservation areas and designate areas of special architectural or historic interest where appropriate. Whilst not a legal requirement, Historic England recommended that Conservation Area Appraisals were reviewed and updated every five to ten years. It was noted that such appraisals were material considerations in the determination of planning applications and formed an important evidence base for planning policy.

The report stated that The Mount Conservation Area had first been designated in 1987 and was most recently appraised in 2009, when no changes to the conservation area boundary had been recommended. The Committee was informed that the current review and updated appraisal had been prepared as part of a community-led project undertaken by the CAAC, with support from Council planning officers and interested local community representatives. It was noted that the review had utilised an adapted version of the Oxford Character Assessment Toolkit, that had been recommended by Historic England, to assess the character of the area's landscape and built environment.

The report further stated that no changes to the conservation area boundary were proposed. The updated appraisal identified a number of issues and vulnerabilities, including walls and railings that were overgrown or in need of repair, a lack of traditional street furniture and lighting, poor street and pavement surfaces with limited use of traditional materials, and inconsistent/mixed conservation area signage. Recommended measures set out in the Action Plan included achieving greater consistency in street signage, providing information to householders on the maintenance of walls and railings and to provide a street care information document on the importance of materials.

The report stated that, subject to approval, consultation on the draft appraisal document would commence in July 2026, with responses informing revisions to the document. The revised appraisal would then be presented to a future meeting of the Committee for consideration and adoption.

At the invitation of the Chair, Evelyn Williams and Claire Truman of Reading CAAC delivered a presentation outlining the work that had been undertaken by the CAAC to carry out the appraisal of The Mount Conservation Area and to prepare the draft appraisal document.

Resolved –

(1)           That The Mount Draft Conservation Area Appraisal (Appendix 2) be approved for consultation;

(2)           That the Director of Planning, Transport and Public Protection Services, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Planning and Assets, be authorised to make any minor amendments necessary to The Mount Draft Conservation Area Appraisal, prior to the start of consultation on the draft document.