A six-week public consultation opened today (1 November 2021) on the draft Ramsgate Conservation Area Appraisal. This has been prepared by Alan Baxter Ltd as part of the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone scheme, with funding from Historic England.
What is a conservation area?
National legislation defines a conservation area as an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. A conservation area appraisal is an objective analysis of the elements which together define the area’s special architectural or historic interest to inform everyone involved in the planning process. These elements will be largely physical, both man-made and natural, such as historic buildings, trees and rivers, but will also include other considerations, such as spaces, views, uses and sounds.
The Ramsgate Conservation Area covers most of the town centre, from the listed buildings near the top of the High Street down to the Royal harbour, and spans west to include Pugin’s The Grange and east to the Pulhamite-bordered Winterstoke Gardens. The Ramsgate Conservation Area has not been appraised since its designation in the 1970s, and has clearly evolved since then.
Have your say
The council is seeking the views of residents and visitors on the draft Ramsgate Conservation Area Appraisal and its recommendations for what should be preserved and enhanced as well as proposals for its future management. The appraisal will be used together with other planning policy documents to guide decisions on future development and will be another positive legacy of the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone scheme.
People can comment on the appraisal by responding to an online consultation on the council’s website. The survey will be open until midnight on Monday 13 December.
Paper copies are available for reference in Ramsgate Library and you can also request a paper copy by emailing louisa.hrabowy@thanet.gov.uk
Councillor Reece Pugh, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Thanet District Council said:
“The first Ramsgate Conservation Area was designated in 1970 and it covers a large part of the town where people live, work and visit. The draft appraisal that we are consulting on will help record what is special about the area and allow the council to make informed plans for its future to ensure that Ramsgate’s historical significance, character and appearance are not harmed.
“Decisions about alterations, development and demolition in the Ramsgate Conservation Area will be informed by this appraisal so it is very important that we hear as many different viewpoints as possible. We would greatly appreciate people taking the time to complete our survey.”
Liz Pollard, Heritage at Risk Projects Officer at Historic England, said:
“I’d encourage everyone familiar with Ramsgate – whether you’re a resident, it’s your place of work, or somewhere you visit regularly – to contribute their views during this consultation. It’s important to take a fresh look at Ramsgate’s conservation area and ensure that the conservation area appraisal is fit for purpose and is a useful tool for making the most of Ramsgate’s rich architectural legacy now and in the future.”
The Ramsgate HAZ team will be holding an online briefing with the consultants who have prepared the draft appraisal document on Wednesday 10 November at 6pm. If you would like to attend the briefing, or are interested in becoming involved and kept up to date with the plans for the Ramsgate Conservation Area, please email louisa.hrabowy@thanet.gov.uk
In addition, the team has prepared a bespoke Owners’ Guidance document, which is available on the Thanet District Council website, for people living and working in the conservation area. The guide explains what the conservation area protections cover and provides practical advice for residents and businesses. We are also inviting comments on the contents of this document as part of the consultation.
Next steps
Following this public consultation, the appraisal will be reported to the Council’s Cabinet with the results of the consultation. It will then be reported to full Council for a decision on whether to adopt the document as Council policy.
For further information about the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone, to view the draft Conservation Area Appraisal documents and to access the online survey form, please visit the council’s website www.thanet.gov.uk/ramsgate-conservation.
