CHANGES TO CONSERVATION AREA

East Suffolk District Council would like to hear your views on proposals to create a new Conservation Area at Aldeburgh Park and three extensions to the existing Aldeburgh Conservation Area. All residents of Aldeburgh are being encouraged to respond.
 
The Council recently posted plans for a new Conservation Area in the Park Road area known as Aldeburgh Park together with changes to our existing Conservation Area.
The Aldeburgh Society has been working with Aldeburgh Town Council and the Conservation Officers at East Suffolk to help with information and survey work towards the proposals. Your committee fully supports the Local Planning Authority’s initiative and proposed action.
The designation of a conservation area does not mean every building will be preserved and no changes allowed. Change is inevitable and will be necessary for the day-to-day life, prosperity and enhancement of an area. But designation helps ensure changes respect the area’s character and appearance.
 
Aldeburgh Park
This is essentially what is currently called the Garrett Era Area and is composed of Park Road from Victoria Road to the gates near the school-see exact area on the plan attached to the consultation. It is already afforded special status by the Garrett Era Area policy included in the Local Planning Authority’s former Local Plan and carried forward until formal designation takes place.
 
 We believe that there are real advantages to making this into a Conservation Area- principally to protect it as a unique and characterful place to live and a leafy, quiet place for all residents of Aldeburgh to enjoy. It is used by families walking children to school, visitors to the hospital, cyclists, tennis and bowls players, and many others in addition to residents.
 
For residents, designation is a recognition of the value of the appearance, character and historical significance of the area, which are doubtless the qualities that influenced residents to choose to live there in the first place or continue to live there. It must not be seen as any form of threat to the freedom of property owners, but as an additional help to preserve the character that they so value. It does not prevent ongoing renovations and like for like replacements but shows that the Local Planning Authority cares as much as they do for the character and appearance of the area in which they live by bringing in a minor increase in controls to prevent harm to the area by selfish actions regarding demolitions and work to trees over and above routine maintenance.

We think it is in the interests of all Aldeburgh that this area gains the protection of Conservation Area status.
 
Extensions to existing Conservation Area.
The three areas proposed would benefit from similar advantages to those specified above, would add areas vital to display the evolutionary growth of the Town over time, would include areas of sea and river importance to views and history of the Town and would recognise an important group of buildings unique in themselves and significant in architectural terms.

Please take a look at the detail in the letter you were sent or view the proposals online and help support these proposals which are seen as important to the continuing prestige of this Town we all love, by responding positively by 17th February. Click on the button below to go to the consultation.

CONSULTATION