Two appraisals given go-ahead by Council

Working Party will now seek meeting to discuss action plan

Two of the three appraisals of the Hills Conservation Areas have now been approved for publication by Epping Forest District Council—six years after work began by a special committee of the Hills Amenity Society to draft them.

Conservation Area Officer Maria Kitts announced the good news in an email to Ian Locks who chaired the working party which met over a two year period.

Ms Kitts explained Internal debates about levels of responsibility led to the decision that character appraisals had to be authorised by Cabinet, rather than by a Planning Committee.

Said Ms Kitts: “The good news is that the Staples Road and York Hill Character Appraisals have been officially published, as agreed by Cabinet last month. I have been hanging fire because the documents are with a printing firm as we speak and so I don’t yet have any hard copies, which are due in the next few working days.

“Electronic copies of the appraisals will be uploaded to the website asap and I will be writing to all the residents to inform them of where they can view the published appraisals.”

The Baldwins Hill Character Appraisal, and a request to create an Article 4 Direction, will be put before the next Cabinet meeting in June as there is not one in May due to the council elections.

All three appraisals were revised by the Council before publication but with some of our major proposals omitted.

However the council has agreed to meet representatives of the Hills to discuss some of the key recommendations by the Hills working party.  These included the introduction of a 20mph speed limit throughout the conservation areas and the extension to York and Baldwins Hills of what is known as the Article Four Direction which applies in Staples Road and particularly applies to changes to frontages and boundary markers.

The main purpose of the Appraisals is to protect the status of the conservation areas and provide a reference point for future planning approvals.

After a relatively quiet few years a spate of major new projects is threatening to disrupt the area once again in future years including the pulling down and rebuilding of Mulberry and the possibility of a new house and major extension to Woodberrie, both in Woodbury Hill. A similar concentration of projects applies at the top of Queens Road and in Pump Hill.  See “Three in a Row” on our website.

The Baldwins Hill Appraisal is likely to be the most radical with the introduction of an Article Four Direction which will bring in tight new controls to road boundaries and the fronts of properties.

Once formally adopted, residents would be notified by post and the document would be published online, as well as hard copies being made available at the Civic Offices.

Said Maria Kitts: “I am working on the creation of an Article 4 Direction for Baldwins Hill which will be accompanied by letters/leaflets to the residents explaining the document and specifying the period of time during which they can make representations. If all goes to plan, it is possible that Baldwins Hill will also be considered at the next DDCC meeting.”

Ian Locks, who chaired the working group which prepared the three appraisals, said: “This is so long awaited – but perhaps even more welcome because of that.  We very much hope the adoption of these reports will help to maintain the character of the three conservation areas.  Always remembering, of course, that the purpose is not to prevent change –rather to try to ensure that change enhances rather than diminishes the amenities, character and appearance of at least the three conserved areas.”

Local authorities have a duty to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of their conservation areas and to this effect would normally draw up a character appraisal defining what special characteristics that area has, noting buildings and features of importance and identifying possible ways in which the area might be further enhanced in the future.

Once approved and published the document can then be used for all manner of useful purposes including increasing public awareness of the area’s special character, providing a useful tool to guide future development in the area.