Councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet Member for regeneration and corporate strategy
Michael Tsoukaris, Design and Conservation
Information on conservation areas and an update on Peckham regeneration.
Minutes:
Councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration and corporate strategy, introduced Michael Tsoukaris, to talk about conservation areas and what it means for people who live in them. Michael explained that English Heritage produced an important document in 2009 which was a historic study of Peckham and which lead to the designation of two new conservation area in Peckham: Rye Lane and Peckham Hill Road.
Conservation area status meant historic buildings could be preserved and protected and recognised the important character of buildings in the area. It did not prevent new development but development had to enhance the character of the area and improve the design quality.
There were other implications for conservation areas for example planning permission was required for extensions beyond the flanks of a residence and 2 storey extensions at the rear of properties. Permission was also required to demolish buildings in a conservation area. The council had guidance for residents on planning permissions in conservation areas.
New designs would need to complement the area in terms of the grain and proportion, materials, features of the area and typologies of the area. Michael showed some examples of new buildings in Bermondsey which had successfully achieved this, showing how modern buildings could fit well in conservation areas.
Cllr Colley then outlined some of the regeneration projects in Peckham.
1) East Peckham and Nunhead renewal area – the renewal status had expired in 2010 but this would be reinstated. Some of the elements of the renewal area included: low carbon zone on Goldsmiths Road and working towards major improvements at Queens’s Road station.
2) Woodean – a contract had been signed with Notting Hill Housing Trust who would partner the council in building and maintaining housing.
3) Peckham Rye Station Square – the council were working with the Peckham Society to improve the station. The council were seeking funding from the Mayor of London to remove the 1930 shopping centre in front of the station and reveal the traditional facade of the building.
4) Outer London Fund – the council were putting a bid into the GLA to deliver improvements to the environment around the station for example on Holly Road and a square on Peckham Rye
5) Townscape Heritage Initiative – Peckham Society were working on a bid from the lottery heritage fund to restore some of the historic buildings in Peckham on the High Street and Rye Lane. The council hoped to hear by March if the bid had made it through the first evaluation stage.
6) Peckham and Nunhead area action plan – the next draft of the action plan would be published in February, Cllr Colley hoped there would be further consultation through the community councils.
In response to questions from the floor Cllr Colley explained that the quality of buildings on the Woodean estate was very important and new planning policy standards had been adopted to improve the size of rooms in new developments. Notting Hill Trust would be managing properties as well as building them so it was in their interest to deliver quality buildings.
A resident asked about migration into the borough and what the council was doing to ensure their were enough opportunities to work especially for young people. Cllr Colley explained that there were a number of schemes the council was developing, specifically to build skills and careers for example jobs were being created as part of development and Elephant and Castle and Aylesbury. There was also the Youth Fund and Community Restoration Fund.
A further question was asked relating of the size of accommodation and facilities on estates for example bin storage. Cllr Colley stated that this was a particular issue in estates built in the 1960s and 1970s and a key factor in the design of new buildings. Every building has to have adequate waste storage which can be accessed from the road by the council.