Consultation on conservation area status for Great Ness

Shropshire Council is to consult on making Great Ness a Conservation Area after listening to and working with the village’s residents. 

The idea of designating Great Ness, to the north west of Shrewsbury, as a Conservation Area was raised by residents, in a letter to Shropshire Council. 

Since then the council’s historic environment team has been working with a team of residents to bring together background information to support the potential designation. 

At the council’s Cabinet meeting today (Wednesday 15 June 2011) councillors agreed a provisional boundary of the area, and to consult on the status. 

A Conservation Area is defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. 

Conservation Area legislation emphasises the importance of the character of an area as a key consideration when decisions are made on development proposals. 

Councillor Malcolm Price, Cabinet member with responsibility for the historic environment, said:

“The council has a duty to review areas of special historic or architectural interest for designation as Conservation Areas. 

“This status allows change but ensures it retains the inherent quality of a place.  It is about acknowledging the special significance of a place and protecting its distinct character, while permitting appropriate new development to go ahead.

“We have worked closely with residents and will now formally ask them to submit their views as well as ask the opinions of property owners and other relevant organisations.” 

The report to Cabinet added that the designation would also increase opportunities to work with the local community in managing the historic environment. 

The oldest building in Great Ness is the Grade I listed St Andrew’s Church, with some sections dating from the early 13th Century.  The village has 28 dwellings, a number of which are listed and represent a range of building styles and materials including several large brick 18th to 19th Century houses, smaller traditional cottages, barn conversions, as well as further historical features which include a restored parish pound and village pump. 

Currently there are 120 Conservation Areas designated in Shropshire, the most recent being The Pant Glas and Brogyntyn Park Conservation Area north of Oswestry, which gained the status in July 2010. 

More details of the 12-week consultation, which will include a drop-in information session in the area, will be publicised when available.