Public consultation on conservation areas plan
13/03/13
A new plan for the appraisal and management of Aberdeen's conservation areas has been put out for public consultation.Aberdeen has a fantastic legacy of historic buildings in its conservation areas, ranging from the Georgian-engineered city centre to Victorian residential suburbs, coastal villages and a medieval educational hub.
Each is unique with its own distinctive character and pattern of development. It is not only buildings that are of architectural or historic interest in a conservation area, but also the spaces between them such as the streets, open spaces and the public realm. All of these elements combine to create an area's special character.
Many of the city's 11 conservation areas, which are designated as being of special architectural or historical interest, were established more than 40 years ago. Only five of them – Footdee, Old Aberdeen, Pitfodels, Rosemount and Westburn, and Union Street – have character appraisals and none of them have a management plan.
The Conservation Area Character Appraisals and Management Plan is the first step in a comprehensive review of the areas and will ultimately lead to supplementary guidance being drawn up which will include character appraisals for all conservation areas and an overarching management plan to protect and enhance them.
The new document will, among other things, provide guidance for the public and help developers to identify and formulate proposals in conservation areas.
The Conservation Area Character Appraisals and Management Plan states: "We have had conservation areas in Aberdeen for over 40 years and some have stood the test of time better than others. Inevitably mistakes have been made and we want to learn from them. For the future we want to ensure that our conservation areas are those whose historic environment is the most worthy of protection and enhancement.
The draft document includes character appraisals for six conservation areas. The character appraisals identify what makes each area special and reviews their boundaries. The other five conservation areas in Aberdeen will be assessed in the near future.
The six conservation areas appraised so far have some specific proposed amendments, including proposed boundary alterations for the Ferryhill conservation area and the proposed de-designation of the Cove Bay conservation area.
As well as the character appraisals, a management plan which covers all of the conservation areas in the city and provides generic guidance to help secure their long-term viability has been developed.
Aberdeen City Council is inviting comments on the draft documents as part of a public consultation exercise. We would like to know if you agree with the analysis, think there are issues that we have missed, or have any other comments to make on the proposals. The six week consultation period runs until noon on 22 April.
For further information and details on how to get involved in the consultation process visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/masterplanning