Proposed Extension to Braunstone Village Conservation Area 

Proposed Extension to Braunstone Village Conservation Area  

PROPOSED BOUNDARY (RED) FOR EXTENTION TO EXISTING BRAUNSTONE VILLAGE CONSERVATION AREA (SHADED GREEN)

Map Reproduced with the consent of Leicester City Council; Crown Copyright Licence 1000 19264

What is a Conservation Area?

Local planning authorities can designate any part of their area that is of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, as a Conservation Area.

Special character of conservation areas relates to the appearance of the area and is not limited to its buildings.  Therefore, it can also include the historic layout of roads, paths, water features, woodland and parkland.

What is the Impact of Designating an area as a Conservation Area?

Conservation area designation introduces a general control over the demolition of unlisted buildings and provides a basis for planning policies whose objective is to conserve all aspects of character or appearance, including landscape and public spaces, which define the conservation area’s special interest.

Designation of a conservation area also gives broader protection than the listing of individual buildings. All the features, listed or otherwise, within the area, are recognised as part of its character. Conservation area designation is the means of recognising the importance of all these factors and of ensuring that planning decisions address the quality of the landscape in its broadest sense.

Under the National Planning Policy Framework conservation areas are designated heritage assets and their conservation is to be given great weight in planning permission decisions.

Changes to the external appearance of a building in a conservation area may require planning permission from the local planning authority that is not required elsewhere as some permitted development rights are curtailed.

Demolition or substantial demolition of a building within a conservation area will require planning permission from the local planning authority.

Any work planned to a tree in a conservation area must be notified to the local planning authority six weeks in advance so that the local planning authority may determine whether or how the work to the tree should take place.

What is a Character Assessment?

A character appraisal defines the special interest of the conservation area that merits its designation and describes and evaluates the contribution made by the different features of its character and appearance.

Please find the Draft Character Appraisal here: CHARACTER APPRAISAL FOR BRAUNSTONE VILLAGE UPDATED MAY 2022

Proposed Extension to Braunstone Village Conservation Area

Braunstone Town Council is proposing that the area of Braunstone Village to the south of Braunstone Lane/Main Street (i.e. within the administrative area of Braunstone Town / Blaby District) be designated as a Conservation Area to coincide with the already designated Conservation Area of Braunstone Village on the northern sider of Braunstone Lane/Main Street (which falls within the administrative area of Leicester City).

In order to define the special interest / character of the area, a draft Character Assessment of the proposed extension to Braunstone Village Conservation Area, has been prepared by Braunstone Town Heritage Warden, John Dodd, with assistance from Jack Haselgrove, local historian.

The document has included, as an Appendix, Leicester City’s Character appraisal.   It is essential that the overall plan for a united conservation area in Braunstone Village is read together with the Town side of Main Street/Braunstone Lane.

The aim of this draft Character Assessment is to identify Braunstone Village's special character and appearance in order to help inform the design of any future development proposals so that they preserve and enhance the Village and acknowledge its features.

Residents Survey

The Town Council has undertaken a survey to ascertain residents’ and stakeholders’ views.  This survey closed on the 10th January 2022. Please find the survey results here: Conservation Area Consultation Survey Results 2022

Timescales and Next Steps

A proposed work programme is set out below.  The programme has been developed by Blaby District Council’s Planning Policy Team and outlines the key milestones the local planning authority will need to undertake.  

The timescales on the appointment of the consultants will be the primary milestone which will dictate the timescales from that point onwards. Another key milestone will be the consideration of the outputs of the consultant’s work as this will determine whether there is merit in amending the Character Appraisal and in recommending designation as a conservation area.

Braunstone Town Council's Planning & Environment Committee will be able to consider responses received from the consultation, including any proposed amendments and make recommendations to Blaby District Council.  

Blaby District Council will determine the consultation responses and character appraisal through its own constitutional processes, which will include determining whether to make a recommendation to its Council to designate a conservation area.

The Town Council has undertaken a survey to ascertain residents’ and stakeholders’ views.  This survey closed on the 10th January 2022. 

Please find the survey results here: Conservation Area Consultation Survey Results 2022

Stakeholder Response: Blaby District Council's Planning Policy