Defining the special architectural and historical character of an area

West Berkshire is a district with an impressive heritage legacy. Reflecting this, there are 53 conservation areas in the district, most designated in the 1970’s or 1980’s. However, West Berkshire Council has a duty under legislation, to define why an area has been designated as a Conservation Area, and to do this it is looking to the local parish councils and heritage societies for assistance. Conservation Area Appraisals act as a framework to guide future development in the conservation area, and help parish councils to recommend ways to preserve and enhance its special characteristics. They are invaluable, too, for parish councils working to prepare a Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Unfortunately, West Berkshire Council does not have sufficient resources to carry out 53 individual appraisals, but it is hoped that the parish councils and local residents (the people most involved in, and concerned with, the preservation of their own area of the district), will be able to carry out the initial work. Working with the West Berkshire Heritage Forum, West Berkshire Council has developed a toolkit, containing a variety of guidance and an appraisal report template, to assist parish councils and volunteers in undertaking a Conservation Area Appraisal. The Forum and West Berkshire Council are also offering all parish councils, and any volunteer groups working with them, free training sessions to help them understand how to research and write up the appraisal. The work will be supported by West Berkshire Council, in terms of printing and publication, and help and advice throughout. The final document can then go forward for consultation and Council adoption for use in planning matters.

Parish and Town Councils can join in by forming an Appraisal Group (where a Heritage Working Group already exists, or the parish is working on a Neighbourhood Development Plan, such a group may already exist in embryo). Such groups can ask for volunteers for both fieldwork and research work, and local historical and heritage societies may already hold useful information which can be included, so their volunteers should be sought. The Council’s Conservation Officer will provide relevant local maps, current area characterisation, a copy of the existing Conservation Area information, a list of designated assets and a toolkit of guidance together with the template for the appraisal. West Berkshire Heritage Forum, in partnership with West Berkshire Council, can provide training on how to carry out the appraisal, and complete the template. Following this, the Appraisal Group can carry out its research, and complete the template. Assistance for this will be available throughout the work from West Berkshire Council and the Forum.

It is expected that some of this work can be carried out as desk research, and some will be information which West Berkshire Council can supply (maps, listing descriptions and similar background material). Some will have to involve practical field trips to walk round the area and take notes. Support, including training and practical support from the council staff and the Forum, will be available for the parishes taking part. Depending on the availability and number of volunteers, the work involved should take between a month and six months to complete and write up.

Once completed, Conservation Area Appraisals help to inform decision-making in the determination of planning applications by the local planning authority and at planning appeals, a summary of their objectives are given below.

The format, style and content of Conservation Area Appraisals produced by different Local Planning Authorities varies considerably. The process for West Berkshire Council appraisals has been drafted taking account of Historic England guidance. While it is anticipated that the appraisals published under this process will set a ‘house style’ for Conservation Area Appraisals in West Berkshire, there will be some scope for variation, dependent upon individual circumstances.

A summary of the objectives of an appraisal is to:

provide a clear definition of the area’s special architectural and historical interest;
provide a framework against which future development can be assessed;
review the existing boundaries of the conservation area;
identify buildings, structures, and green spaces that are desirable to protect, preserve or enhance;
identify and map archaeologically sensitive areas;
develop recommendations and a management plan for the area;
empower local communities to explore the sense of their place;
alert local communities to the cumulative effects of minor change on an area’s character;
identify potential Assets of Community Value.

Three Conservation Area Appraisals have already been carried out, for Streatley, Peasemore and central Newbury. They can be found at https://www.westberks.gov.uk/conservation-area-appraisals or by entering “Conservation Area Appraisals” on the West Berkshire Council website. Two more, for Aldermaston and Bucklebury are in progress.

We look forward to working with you on this important project.