PUBLIC consultations are to be held on plans to appraise the conservation area status of eight Ceredigion towns, following a decision by senior councillors.
Members of Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet, at their January 7 meeting, received a report recommending that Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans be released for public consultation, covering Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Aberaeron, Lampeter, Llanbadarn Fawr, Llandysul, New Quay, and Tregaron.
Conservation Areas are areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, with 13 such areas in Ceredigion designated under previous legislation.
Under Section 159 of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are required, from time to time, to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area designated as a conservation area.
This provides a basis for more detailed management plans which address the issues raised in the appraisals and set out realistic management objectives. Such detailed appraisals and management plans have not been undertaken for most of Ceredigion’s conservation areas.
A report for members said: “By not having conservation area appraisals and management plans in place, the council is not meeting its statutory duty in full. Their absence means there is a lack of information available to Development Management Officers to justify the refusal of proposals which may harm Ceredigion’s conservation areas.
“Moreover, Inspectors may overturn officers’ decisions to refuse planning permission in conservation areas due to the absence of such appraisals. Collectively, this contributes to the erosion of the county’s conservation areas.”
It added: “In order to preserve and enhance the conservation areas, and to ensure the local planning authority is meeting its statutory duty, the Planning Policy Team sought to obtain funding to support the preparation of conservation area appraisals and management plans.
“The Planning Policy Team were successful in securing funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and therefore able to prepare conservation area appraisals and management plans, with some external support, for Aberystwyth, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberaeron, Cardigan, Lampeter, Llandysul, Tregaron and New Quay.
“The Conservation Area Appraisals provide a detailed picture of what makes the areas special and provide a shared understanding of their character and importance. The appraisals are the foundation for positive management as they highlight any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which in turn informs the content of the management plans.”
It adds: “Once the current Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans have been adopted, the intention is to then prepare appraisals and management plans for the remaining conservation areas.”
Members backed the recommendation to start consultations, expected to run from January 27 up to March 7, with the findings coming before Cabinet in April before a final report to full council in May.
