Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relating to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present.

That Officers be authorised to undertake community consultation in respect to the review and draft management proposals for the Sandbach Town Centre Conservation Area, in accordance with the consultation details set out in the report.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning, Economic Development and Regeneration considered a report seeking authority for officers to undertake community consultation in relation to the review of the Sandbach Town Centre Conservation Area.

The review  comprised the preparation of a character appraisal for the conservation area, a review of the conservation area boundary and draft management proposals for the conservation area, including a draft management plan. The draft appraisal documents were attached at Appendix 2 to the report and the draft consultation material at Appendix 3.

Sandbach Town Centre Conservation Area was first designated in 1970. Since then the conservation area had been extended twice in 1976 and 1995.  Neither of these extensions had been the subject of updated appraisals or management proposals and therefore the appraisal and management proposal coverage was incomplete, and where there was coverage, it was over 40 years old.

The enlargement of the conservation area had led to a more complex and varied conservation area than that first designated in 1970.  The areas were varied in character and therefore faced different issues in terms of threats to their historic interest. Consequently, there had been some erosion of character in certain parts of the conservation area due to the lack of management and controls, notwithstanding the conservation area designation.

Whilst there was no defined statutory period in terms of frequency of conservation area review, it would be extremely difficult to argue that, in the case of Sandbach, the review was not long overdue.  Best practice advocated by English Heritage discussed reviews every 5 years and the need to have an up-to-date appraisal and management proposals for the conservation area.

The consultation period for the review would run from 2^nd September to 15^th October 2013 and would include publicity on the website, an exhibition at Sandbach Library and a public meeting on 12^th September at Sandbach Literary Institute. Publicity would be by way of posters to be distributed by Sandbach Town Council and displayed in shop fronts and on notice boards, and the delivery of leaflets to each property within the conservation area. The cost of the consultation to Cheshire East Council would be about £200.

The Cabinet Member supported the proposal and welcomed the involvement of Sandbach Town Council in the consultation arrangements. He added, however, that any future proposals of this kind may need to explore joint funding arrangements.

RESOLVED

That Officers be authorised to undertake community consultation in respect to the review and draft management proposals for the Sandbach Town Centre Conservation Area, in accordance with the consultation details set out in the report.