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Residents and businesses invited to review Harrogate's Conservation Area
1 OCTOBER 2008 - ANYONE with an interest in
protecting the unique character of Harrogate is invited to attend
one of two exhibitions being held by Harrogate Borough Council's
Heritage and Design Team, which will start the process of an
appraisal of the town's conservation area.
The Borough Council is proud of its natural and built
heritage, particularly in the Harrogate Conservation Area, in which
it depends on additional controls to help protect important
features that contribute to its unique character.
The Harrogate Conservation Area was adopted in April 1973 and
its boundaries have been reviewed and amended four times since its
designation, the last time being in 1995 over 10 years ago.
The Conservation Area is large and has within it areas of very
different character, for example the high quality but intimate
shopping areas, the open area of the Stray, the Arcadian Duchy
Estate and the tree lined avenues of fine late Victorian
terraces.
Councillor Don Mackenzie, Cabinet Member for Planning and
Transport, says the time is right to evaluate the special interest
of the Conservation Area and to understand how the local community
values the special qualities of the important spa town of
Harrogate.
"We have already had offers of support for the process from
Harrogate Civic Society and a number of residents' associations but
throughout review, we want to involve as many local people as
possible whether they have a business or a home in the town, which
is why we are mounting these exhibitions. The
appraisal process will provide the basis for the positive
management of the Conservation Area for the future."
The workshops will be held as follows:
9am - 1pm on Saturday 18 October 2008 in St Marks Church Hall,
Leeds Road
6pm - 8.30pm Tuesday 21 October 2008 in the Council Offices,
Crescent Gardens
The exhibitions will have a display showing plans of Harrogate
Conservation Area and information to explain planning implications
and the council's objectives for the area.
Additionally, the exhibitions will be interactive; officers
will be there to ask for the views of the public on certain
important features of the Conservation Area including important
buildings, trees and open spaces. Plans will be
available for people to mark on those features and also areas that
they feel should be in the Conservation Area, or areas that should
be excluded.
The findings of the workshops will help in preparing a draft
document for formal public consultation and, following this, a
final version will be used to assist in the planning of the
area.
All those who attend the exhibitions will be formally
consulted on the draft appraisal document in
2009. Should you be interested in being involved
in the appraisal process, but cannot come to the exhibitions,
please e-mail the council at heritage@harrogate.gov.uk
or by phone 01423-556593.