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The Committee received report ES/1715 of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, which proposed to vary part of the existing Conservation Area in Aldeburgh to exclude five properties that were erroneously included in the western extension designated on 6 October 2023.
Councillor Yule, introducing the report, noted the error in the report presented to the Committee at its meeting on 2 October 2023 which had resulted in five properties in Crescent Road, Aldeburgh being erroneously included in the western extension of the Aldeburgh Conservation Area. Councillor Yule advised that it was considered timely to exclude these properties by varying the designation of the Conservation Area, as set out in the report's recommendations.
The Chair invited the Principal Design and Conservation Officer to comment on the report; he apologised for the error in the original report, which was the result of human error. The Committee was advised that although the five properties had been removed from the mapping at appendix A to the original report they had not been removed from the definitive list at appendix B to that report, which was the basis of the statutory designation following the Committee's resolution at its meeting of 2 October 2023.
The Committee was informed that officers were unaware of the error until one of the properties responded to the confirmation of the extension and that on the advice of the Council's Legal team, it was sought to resolve this error by varying the designation of the Conservation Area; the affected properties had been advised of this process in writing.
The Principal Design and Conservation Officer explained that one property had objected to the variation on the basis of completeness, as the other properties in Crescent Road would remain in the Conservation Area. The argument had been considered reasonable but when the five buildings were assessed as a group, the Principal Design and Conservation Officer considered that they did not relate to the historic character of Crescent Road due to their modern design and it was difficult to argue for their inclusion in the Conservation Area. Officers had replied to the property to this effect and had received no further correspondence.
The Chair invited questions to Councillor Yule. Councillor Hedgley asked if Crescent Road was unadopted; Councillor Whitelock, who was ward member for Aldeburgh and Leiston, was able to confirm this was correct.
Councillor Deacon thanked the Principal Design and Conservation Officer for his candour and sought further clarification on how the error had occurred, as he recalled that the report to the Committee on 2 October 2023 had referenced their removal following consultation. Officers were able to confirm that although this was referenced in the report, as the list at appendix B included the five properties and this was the basis of the Committee's resolution, they had been included in the statutory designation.
Councillor Yule proposed the recommendations in the report, which were seconded by Councillor Deacon. The Chair invited the Committee to debate the proposals.
Councillor Daly was in favour of the variation of the designation, considering that the Conservation Area, broadly popular in Aldeburgh, would be more robust and defendable as a result.
Councillor McCallum sought further explanation on the exclusion of some of the properties from the Conservation Area, as their removal would "cut in" to its boundary. The Principal Design and Conservation Officer acknowledged that this would make the boundary uneven but reiterated that the design and character of the buildings did not contribute to the historic character of the area and it was considered logical to remove them.
There being no further debate the Chair moved to a vote and it was unanimously
RESOLVED
- That the variation of that part of the Aldeburgh Conservation Area that includes the five properties included in the schedule, attached at Appendix A to the report, to exclude them from the designation be agreed.
- That it be agreed that the variation of designation date will be Friday, 3 November 2023.