Council Reviews Existing Conservation Areas

Local residents and interested parties can now have their say on conservation areas in the Milstead and Sittingbourne area.

Swale Borough Council is reviewing the existing conservation areas and has opened it up for public consultation.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, told SFM News: “We’ve committed to regularly reviewing important conservation areas across the borough. We reviewed conservation areas in in Borden Parish and Tonge earlier this year and made changes to include some historic parts of the borough that we felt needed protecting. For Milstead and Sittingbourne conservation areas, we are proposing to extend some of the current boundaries, and we want to know people’s thoughts".

Cllr Baldock went on to add: "The current Sittingbourne boundary is at the east end of the high street and we are proposing to extend it to also include parts of East Street down towards Aldi. In Milstead, we’re proposing to extend the boundary to include a number of areas, such as the historic cricket ground and Trotts Hall, which was moved brick-by-brick from a site off Bell Road in the 1970s. We want to hear opinions from local people on these proposed changes. What makes their local conservation area special? Are the boundaries in the right place? Do we need to have additional controls in place? We have a rich heritage in Swale and it’s important that we protect it for future generations.”

To find out more and have your say visit www.swale.gov.uk/conservation-areas.

The consultation runs from Monday 2nd August, until Sunday 19th September and the documents can be viewed at Sittingbourne Library. The Milstead documents are also available from the Milstead Parish Clerk.

Comments can be emailed to: conservation@swale.gov.uk or posted to CA Consultation, Planning Services, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne ME10 3HT.