Article 4 Directions - good news for our Conservation Area

I'm delighted to say that the Council on Monday passed Article 4 directions for the Swiss Cottage, Belsize, and Hampstead conservation areas, and in a modified form for the Holly Lodge conservation area. Essentially this provides extra protection for the architectural heritage of the area, including boundary walls, doors, windows, porches, chimneys etc. Unfortunately of course, Swiss Cottage has already suffered substantial lose of architectural features, as the council's report makes clear, and clearly nothing can be done to turn that back. In the coming weeks, the council will be consulting with everyone in the conservation area to check people really do want this extra protection, and to explain how it will work once introduced.

The front page of the Ham and High today explains the new powers more concisely.

The development does raise again the question of whether we can get a Conservation Area Advisory Committee going in Swiss Cottage, as in most other conservation areas in the borough.

Finally, on the other side of the ward, the council will be consulting next month on a new consultation area management statement for the Elsworthy Road conservation area.