Conservation area changes for Newark and Southwell approved by Newark and Sherwood District Council planning committee

Conservation areas in Newark and Southwell have been altered following a three-year review.

Several areas of the towns have been added to the conservation areas, which are designated for their special architectural and historic interest, while others have been removed.

For those inside the designated zones, more stringent planning policies are implemented to preserve their appearance.

Newark and Sherwood District Council started the review in 2018, focusing on Edwinstowe, Newark, Ollerton, Southwell and later Laxton.

The results of the reviews in Newark and Southwell were presented for approval at the last meeting of the council’s Cabinet.

Newark:

First designated in 1968, Newark conservation area was the second to be designated in England.

Council officers are said to continually monitor the special character and appearance of Newark through the consideration of relevant planning applications, but also in respect of enforcement action, and the health and condition of historic buildings.

The proposed boundary changes are:

• The inclusion of Newark College, as well as additional areas of Friary Road, part of Sleaford Road, Wellington Road entirely, and part of Beacon Hill Road.
• Inclusion of parts of Appletongate between Queen’s Road and Northgate Station (principally the eastern side of the roadway) and parts of George Street, Warburton Street, and Lovers Lane.
• Inclusion of the Magnus School area, limited to the original school building on Earp Avenue, and Hatton Gardens, Winchilsea Avenue and Milner Street, as examples of late-Victorian/Edwardian planned housing and education.
• Inclusion of Crown Street ­— having good 19th Century housing stock considered to contribute to the Millgate/Victoria Street area of the town ­— and Lime Grove which is an attractive tree lined avenue with good late-Victorian/early-20th Century housing stock.
• Removal of parts of Northgate, including the modern residential and retail development to the north of the Warwick and Richardson complex, and the modern housing on the west side of the river.

Cabinet members generally supported all the proposed extensions and the removal of modern elements along Northgate, such as the retail park.

However, there was opposition to the wholesale removal of the riverside, including Fidler’s Elbow Bridge and the marina.

As a result, the final proposed boundary now keeps more of the riverside inside the conservation area, only excluding the retail park and modern residential development to the north of the Warwick and Richardson as well as modern housing to the rear of Waitrose.

The consultation also revealed that residents feel that management of the conservation area has not always been successful, and that more needs to be done to safeguard the future of the town’s special historic environment.

Climate change and ecological concerns also featured heavily in responses.

Southwell:

The Southwell conservation area was first designated in 1968 and was last formally reviewed in 2005.

A revised conservation area boundary is proposed to include:

• Land to north-east of Greet Lily Mill, Station Road and along Normanton Road.
• The 19th century workers’ housing development along Dover Street and Chatham Street.
• Land south of Westhorpe Dumble, and land between Cundy Hill and Halloughton Road.
• Land south of the existing CA around Crink Lane and Park Lane.
• Halam Road Edwardian villas.

In addition, a number of small amendments were also proposed as the result of spatial mapping errors on the 2005 designation, in order to address uncertainty with the precise location of the boundary

The proposals are not expected to significantly impact the number of planning applications received by the council.

The recommendations were approved by Cabinet.