The Director of Regeneration and Place has approved:

1.  the extension of the Kings Gap Conservation Area to include the areas of Kings Court, Queen’s Road and Cable Road area; as set out on the plan attached as Appendix 1; and

2.  the Kings Gap Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (as set out in Appendix 2)

Section 69(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the Act) requires the Council to:

·  from time to time determine which parts of its area are areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and

·  designate those areas as conservation areas.

Section 69(2) of the Act requires the Council from time to time to review the past exercise of functions under this section and to determine whether any parts or any further parts of its area should be designated as conservation areas and, if it so determines, it shall designate those parts accordingly.

The adoption of the Kings Gap Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (Appendix 2) will serve as a material consideration of relevant planning applications and enforcement decisions.

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires review, and protection of Conservation Areas.

The extension of the Kings Gap Conservation Area (Appendix 1) to include the Queen’s Road and Cable Road areas will bring more properties becoming subject to the additional powers available to the Council to limit and control changes to buildings that would otherwise be allowed without the need for express planning permission.

The Kings Gap Conservation Area Management Plan (Appendix 2) outlines the way in which the Council will seek to preserve or enhance the and how it will monitor this.
The Kings Gap Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (Appendix 2) was subject to a 6-week public consultation period, commencing on 4th March 2024, including events held for the local community on 12th March 2024 in the St Hildeburgh’s Church and the West Kirby United Reformed Church. All properties within and surrounding the existing and proposed extended conservation area were notified by letter.

An analysis of the consultation responses and the day long community event and officer response has been carried out and is set out as Appendix 3. 20 comments were received. No objections were received regarding the boundary line extension. No changes have been made to the appraisal as a result of the consultation and community event, however the consultation comments were included on the management plan.

It has been decided after the public consultation to extend the boundary line of the Kings Gap Conservation Area to include the area of Kings Court and the areas of Queens Road and Cable Road as set out on the plan attached as Appendix 1.
It has also been decided to approve the Kings Gap Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (Appendix 2).

Under section 70 (8) of the Act, in addition to notifying both the Secretary of State and Historic England, the Council is required to publicise designation of the extended conservation area by a notice placed in the London Gazette and a local newspaper. Steps will be taken to inform owners and other local people about the extension of the conservation area.