Council offers top tips for listed buildings
Winchester City Council's conservation service is taking to the road once again to help demystify the rules and regulations surrounding listed buildings and conservation areas for local residents. Monday 24 July will see the second of its new conservation roadshows taking place at The Jubilee Hall in Bishop's Waltham at 7pm.
The roadshow is designed to explain how conservation policy works and what it means in practice for those who live or work in Bishop's Waltham's much-admired conservation area.
The event has been planned in consultation with Bishop's Waltham Parish Council and will include presentations on the town's historical background; what the conservation area is and why it is important, and how listed buildings are determined and what this means for those who own them.
The evening will encourage people to talk to conservation officers before planning works to homes and businesses in the area, and will also explain what enforcement action the City Council is required to take when works are carried out without appropriate consent.
Bishop's Waltham is a popular place to live and visit, and enjoys an unusually wide range of independent shops which draw shoppers in from a wide surrounding area.
Winchester City Council's Head of Cultural Services Eloise Appleby said:"The combination of wonderful street scenes, busy shops and a lively community gives rise to a very special atmosphere in Bishop's Waltham. The householders and businesses contribute a great deal to the vibrancy of local life and the day to day care of their environment.
"But places like Bishop's Waltham are also well protected by a range of City Council conservation policies, supported by government requirements and guidance, that help to safeguard the best of its architectural character and streetscapes. We are taking this opportunity to make more information available to local people and to introduce some key officers from the City Council who can help with practical advice."
Winchester City Council's Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Sport, Cllr Patricia Stallard, added: "The evening will include visual examples of good and bad practice to show how conservation policy works in practice. It is easy to forget how the look of the building you own affects the wider setting, or even the whole street, so we will encourage people to see the bigger picture and to seek advice rather than press ahead with an idea which may spoil the very town they love.
"Later in the year we will be taking this event to Wickham on the third leg of our district tour, following a positive reception and a full house on our first outing in Alresford in February."
Attendance is free (with no need to pre-book) and there is good access for people with mobility disabilities, and parking immediately outside the hall which is in Little Shore Lane. Further information about the event is available from Eloise Appleby on 01962 848 181 or email eappleby@winchester.gov.uk