Issue - meetings

The Leader proposed, Councillor R Bayford seconded and Members agreed the recommendation as set out in the report, namely:

“To seek approval for the adoption of the Ramsgate Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan documents containing locally specific information of the area, following public consultation in November/December 2021.”

The Leader proposed to recommend to Full Council for the adoption of the Ramsgate Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan. This followed a public consultation of the documents, which were produced as part of the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone (the “HAZ”) work, at the end of last year.

Since being designated in 1970 and subsequently extended 5 times, there had not been an appraisal of the Conservation area in Ramsgate. The appraisal and plan were produced from the work of the local community and supporting consultants, to provide a highly detailed evaluation of the features and character that made the Ramsgate Conservation area so important.

This piece of work had been ongoing across different administrations of the Council, and Cabinet thanked the local community, especially the Ramsgate Society and Ramsgate Heritage and Design Forum, whose voluntary work made this appraisal possible. The report outlined the background behind the HAZ and the appraisal, provided a summary of the structure of the appraisal and the key recommendations from the management plan produced for all stakeholders.

The report outlined the results of the consultation which occurred between 1 November and 13 December last year, which was supportive of the appraisal and management plan, as well as the guidance for climate change adaptation and draft conservation area owners guidance. Points of concern and suggestions for future heritage designation and projects had also been outlined and these points would be used to inform the Council’s work going forward.

The document would now form an important reference document to positively aid residents and developers when they were looking to carry out works in the Ramsgate Conservation Area. It would also provide evidence to support the planning decisions of the Council and a framework for future heritage initiatives.

Councillor Crittenden spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

Councillor Ashbee proposed, Councillor Saunders seconded and Cabinet agreed that the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, and associated documents, as appended to the Cabinet report, be agreed and moved to Full Council for adoption and published by 1 May 2022.