§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Environment and Heritage Service of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment was consulted about the potential effect the housing development at 10–20 Bangor Road, Holywood, County Down, would have on the Priory Church and the listed houses at Tudor Park; and, if so, what was that advice. [HL1210]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Planning Service takes account of a number of factors when considering planning applications and consults the Environment and Heritage Service on any planning applications which may affect a listed building or its setting.
Following consideration of a range of issues in relation to the development at 10–20 Bangor Road, Holywood, the Planning Service considered that it was not necessary to consult with the Environment and Heritage Service. The issues considered included the separation distances of over 100 metres between the development site and both the Priory and the listed houses at Tudor Oaks, the intervening development and the lack of visual relationship between the properties referred to and the proposed development site.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to designate a conservation area in Holywood, Co. Down; and, if none, why not. [HL1283]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Department of the Environment has received numerous requests from Holywood Conservation Group and other interested parties seeking conservation area status for areas within Holywood. The previous Minister and departmental officials have met with the group to discuss this issue and explain the department's position.
Holywood falls within the remit of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan. As part of the plan preparation process, the department has appointed consultants to advise on those locations within the Down Metropolitan Area, including Holywood, which merit special planning protection by reason of their quality and character of the built environment. The draft plan, which is programmed to be published in September 2003, will present the department's proposals. The plan process cannot designate conservation areas as designation is a separate statutory process. However, it will identify areas of townscape character (ATC). Such ATCs can be subsequently considered for designation as conservation areas under the separate statutory 100WA process provided by Article 50 of the Planning (NI) Order 1991 where they are of sufficient quality to merit conservation area status.
Downpatrick Divisional Planning Office undertook to carry out preparatory work to shorten the timescale of conservation area designation if this is to be adopted as an appropriate way forward for Holywood. To this end, the conservation officer from this office has met the Holywood Conservation Group. The group is also in the process of producing a booklet on the issue to inform the debate.