Conservation Area Management Plan
Introduction
This plan sets out the local authority’s approach to the
management of Conservation Areas in Thanet. It is based on national
guidance, adopted planning policies affecting the area, and the
other local authority services in the area.
National Guidance
National Guidance on
Conservation Areas stems from the “Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and associated Regulations, together
with Planning Policy Guidance Note No 15 “Planning and The Historic
Environment”, issued in September 1994.
Policy
This Management Plan indicates how relevant
national, regional, county and locally adopted policies figure in
the management of the Conservation Areas. However it is not a
planning document.
The following documents have an
influence on the Conservation Area Management Plan.
- Regional Planning Guidance for the
South East is currently set out in “RPG9”, issued in 2001 and
updated in 2004. This is due to be replaced by the emerging “South
East Plan” being prepared by the South East England Regional
Assembly (SEERA). This new Plan was submitted to the Secretary of
State in March 2006 and has been through an Examination in Public.
Adoption is anticipated in 2008. In RPG9 Thanet lies in a “Priority
Area for Economic Regeneration” suffering from significant
deprivation. Part of the strategy is to focus development in urban
areas and to ensure that the economy, society and the environment
develop in harmony. The emerging South East Plan includes policies
seeking to promote the sustainable development of communities,
addressing intra regional disparities and protecting and enhancing
key environmental, cultural and heritage assets. The Plan has
policies on Management for an Urban Renaissance and the Management
of the Historic Environment.
- The “Kent
and Medway Structure Plan” was adopted in July 2006 and
contains polices for development affecting Conservation Areas.
There are specific policies for conservation areas, archaeological
sites, buildings of architectural and historic importance and
historic landscape features in Chapter 5 “Promoting quality of life
in town and country”.
- The Thanet Local Plan was adopted in June 2006
and contains a significant range of specific polices for
Conservation Areas, Listed buildings and archaeological sites in
Chapter 7 “Heritage.” These policies are aligned with national and
strategic policies and seek to ensure that new development
preserves or enhances the important heritage of
Thanet.
- The Local Development Framework will comprise
a number of documents, which will, in due course, replace the
Thanet Local Plan as the key planning policy guidance for the area.
This work is at an early stage but a Core Strategy is under
development and this is programmed to be adopted in 2010.
A number of supplementary planning guidance documents provide more
detailed guidance on how polices should be applied. The Kent Design
Guide 2005 has been formerly adopted by the Council (SPG5) and
advocates high quality design for new development and provides
detailed guidance on the principals and consideration addressed in
Policy QL1 of the “Kent and Medway Structure Plan.” The Council has
also prepared a number of other guidance leaflets relating to
Conservation Areas as follows: -
- Shopfront Design
- Shopfront Security
Shutters
- Conservation Areas
- Conversion of Shops to
residential accommodation
- The Council has adopted a Statement of Community Involvement, which
sets out the council’s commitment to community involvement in all
aspects of town planning, including matters pertaining to Thanet
Conservation Areas.
> Conservation Area
Designation