Have Your Say – Review of the Henley Conservation Area
South Oxfordshire District Council are carrying out a review of the conservation area in Henley-on-Thames.
The town’s conservation area is the designated area of special architectural or historic interest which exists to protect the features and characteristics that make Henley a historic, unique and distinctive place.
Property and land in the conservation area is covered by extra planning controls which help to protect the setting and provide a guard against inappropriate work. Most demolition works will require planning permission, there are restrictions on permitted development and advertising; and trees are also better protected.
It is a requirement that all councils co-ordinate and publish appraisals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas and that these proposals are reviewed from time to time.
The Henley Conservation Area was last reviewed in 2004. As part of the recently reviewed neighbourhood plan, Henley Town Council commissioned Purcell, a consultant, to prepare a conservation area appraisal document. SODC have a statutory duty to consult the public on this new document before it is adopted.
As part of the review process, residents are invited to comment on the proposed changes to the Henley Conservation Area Appraisal document. The document details proposed changes to the conservation area boundary in the following places (from section 8 of the appraisal document):
Proposed additions to the conservation area:
- Full length of Fair Mile (to junction with B480 Lower Assendon) including the Grove
- Buildings between Greys Road and Reading Road
- Eastern end of St Andrew’s Road
Proposed removals from the conservation area:
- Modern properties in Bowling Court and Pearce’s Orchard
- Modern properties in Leicester Court and Badgemore Lane
- Dry Leas Sports Ground
- Modern properties in Normanstead
- Property 33a St Andrew’s Road
In some areas, the revision is intended to update any issues caused by past mapping and changes to property boundaries over time. In other areas, the boundary could be extended to areas that add to the architectural and historic interest of the area and are therefore worthy of including within the designated boundary. The Conservation Area Appraisal document provides justifications for each of these changes, which you will be able to comment on individually.
My property is going into or leaving the conservation area, what does this mean? You can find out how this may affect your property by visiting our conservation areas web page.
We are inviting your comments on the proposed changes during an eight-week consultation period which runs from Wednesday 30 March until 11.59pm on Wednesday 25 May 2022.
Click on this link to give your comments: https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/south-oxfordshire-district-council/planning-and-development/building-conservation-and-design/conservation-areas/review-of-the-henley-conservation-area/
If you are unable to use the online survey, you can also submit your comments by: Email: conservationconsults@southandvale.gov.uk
Where possible, please submit your comments electronically as this will help to cut down on paper and postage costs. If you are not able to do this, you can
Write to: Conservation Team, Planning Service, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and post to ‘Freepost SOUTH AND VALE CONSULTATIONS’(no other address information or stamp is needed).
Paper copies of the consultation documents and comment forms can also be viewed in Henley Town Hall and Henley Library.
After the consultation period ends, we will consider your comments and make appropriate changes to the draft document and boundary revision before we proceed to adopt it via the council’s cabinet process. Once adopted, we will publish the cabinet report, the new conservation area appraisal document and the adopted revised boundary on the SODC website.
