Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Hurstwood Room, Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2AX. View directions

Contact: James Harris  Deputy Democratic Services Team Leader

Items
No. Item

18.

Apologies

To receive and record apologies for absence.

 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Guest and Raines.

19.

Declarations of Interest

To receive and record any declarations of Interests from members present in respect of any of the various matters on the agenda for this meeting.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

20.

Review of Old Bedhampton Conservation Area pdf icon PDF 141 KB

The Board will engage with ward councillors, local residents and relevant experts to agree informed recommendations to Cabinet.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In order to provide some background to the item the Board received a short briefing on Conservation Areas and Heritage Assets from the Conservation Team Leader.  He highlighted that the only fundamental difference between the heritage consultants commissioned by Bidbury Mead Friends (BMF) and HBC’s Conservation Officer was that of the proposed boundary extension.

 

The Board received a deputation from Mr Mayor, a resident of Lower Road, Bedhampton, in support of the boundary proposed by the heritage consultants commissioned by BMF.

 

Ms Murphy, the heritage consultant commissioned by BMF explained that the remit of the assessment had been agreed by the council and BMF and the methodology used followed the relevant Act and Historic England guidance.  There was a set standard for such assessments and this was the approach that she had used.  She felt that her assessment had been fair and had taken into account both the natural environment and man-made interventions.  She highlighted the importance of sunken lanes and was pleased that the majority of her assessment had been endorsed by HBC’s Conservation Officers.

 

With particular reference to the field south of Lower Road, the Board questioned Ms Murphy on the differences between the boundary that she had proposed in June and the final version submitted in October.  In reply it was confirmed that these amendments had been made on the advice of the HBC Conservation Officer, who considered that the boundary proposed in June had been arbitrary. 

 

Mr Fellowes, HBC Conservation Team Leader, gave a presentation to the Board, which detailed the key differences between their boundary recommendation and the recommendation in the assessment commissioned by BMF.

 

In conclusion, he set out that the boundary proposed by HBC’s Conservation Officers would not dilute the Conservation Area, as is required by the National Planning Policy Framework, and would form a more robust document.  It would have been easier for officers to accept the conclusions of the assessment undertaken by BMF, however due to concerns with the proposed boundary it was felt appropriate for HBC to review the assessment in order to ensure that the Conservation Area would be robust.

 

The Board questioned whether alternative protection could be offered to the areas not included within HBC’s proposed boundary extension, such as a Neighbourhood Plan or a mechanism to protect the Narrow Marsh Lane route.  In reply, the Planning Policy Manager stated that a Neighbourhood Plan could be put together, as was the case for any area, but confirmed that Narrow Marsh lane was not currently a designated Right of Way.  Rights of Way were protected by legislation, although even if designated there were mechanisms that could alter the route. BMF confirmed that a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) had been submitted to Hampshire County Council, seeking to designate Narrow Marsh Lane as a Right of Way.

 

Cllr Gary Robinson spoke as a local ward councillor.  He stated that BMF had worked with HBC to agree a specification and instructed an independent review which they had funded. Unfortunately, whilst the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.