Decision details

Public Question

A non-committee Member asked a question, as set out below.

 

Councillor Rosenstiel raised the following points:

      i.          He had been a Cambridge resident for some time.

    ii.          Referred to the Cambridge Townscape report from 1971 as a precursor to the Conservation Area.

      i.          "Maids Causeway" was spelt without an apostrophe in the Appraisal document.

    ii.          Suggested that Maids Causeway was missing from #16 of the Kite Conservation Area Character Appraisal report.

 iii.          Took issue with report details and would take these up with officers post meeting. For example, why some buildings were included in the Buildings of Local Interest category, and some were not.

  iv.          Asked the City Council to make the case to the County Council that street lights in Earl Street and Christchurch Street were heritage assets that deserved restoration.

    v.          Suggested that New Square street lights were mismatched and asked City Council to make the case to the County Council to homogenise them (ie get them all to match).

  vi.          Took issue with boundary markers.

 

The Senior Conservation & Design Officer said she would respond to Councillor Rosenstiel post meeting.

 

Matter for Decision

The City Council has an obligation under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to periodically review its Conservation Area designations and boundaries, to consider any new areas, and under Section 71 of the Act to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of these areas.

 

The Kite Conservation Area is part of the Central Conservation Area which was designated in 1969. In 1995 it was decided to draw up Character Appraisals for the Central Conservation Area and it was divided into separate areas to do so. The Kite was the first to be written in 1996. In 2013 consultants drafted a review of the Kite Conservation Area Appraisal. This draft Appraisal review provides evidence to illustrate that the Kite Conservation Area still meets current national criteria in terms of special architectural and historic interest for Conservation Area designation.

 

A period of public consultation was held between 14th October and

11th November 2013. Responses are summarised in Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning and Climate

Change

The Executive Councillor agreed:

       i.          The draft Appraisal of the Kite Conservation Area listed in Appendix 2 of the Officer’s report.

     ii.          That owners/occupiers within the area of the proposed extension, as denoted in Appendix 3 of the Officer’s report, be consulted on the proposal, and the Executive Councillor with Chair and Spokes approves the proposed extension subject to consideration of the representations received.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Principal Conservation and Design Officer.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Urban Design & Conservation Manager plus Principal Conservation and Design Officer said the following:

       i.          There was no control to protect nameplates or prevent paint removal unless a building was listed. Paint application could be controlled through Article 4. Article 4 had a broad remit and could cover features such as windows.

     ii.          An item on the use of Article 4 Directions in conservation areas will be included in the update on the Pro-active Conservation report to Environment Scrutiny Committee 11 March 2014.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.