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08/02/2010

Conservation policies needed urgently, says MP

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Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (City of Durham) has urged Durham County Council to urgently implement policies which would protect the Conservation Area around the City Centre in Durham.


Roberta said,


"As many people know I have been concerned for some time about the degradation of the Durham City Conservation Area which is aimed at preserving the historic City Centre area of Durham.


"The previous Lib Dem-run City Council looked briefly at implementing conservation policies but failed to follow through on them.  And while the new County Council has a far better attitude towards conservation and many good intentions, I am concerned that they are moving too slowly.

  

"At the meeting of the Balanced and Sustainable Communities Forum which I hosted on Friday, local residents, council officers and I discussed the way forward.  The Council are talking about creating new area appraisals rather than building on the large amount of pre-existing work which has already been done, which will really slow the process down.  If we don't act fast, the very nature of our City could be irreversibly transformed for the worse.

  

"We are also concerned about the proliferation of ‘to let' signs around the City for long periods of time.  They are extremely unsightly and really jar with Durham's streetscapes.  National Planning Policy Guidance (PPG15) allows for local authorities to take strong action to prevent these signs blemishing the historic character of the City.


"That is why I have written to the Council's Head of Planning to urge him to take action under PPG15 to stop these letting boards from taking over our streets and to get a move on implementing good conservation policies.

  

"I want to thank the members of the Balanced and Sustainable Communities Forum for their help and support in this campaign.  I am hopeful the County Council will listen to our concerns and act accordingly."

 

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