Conservation area character appraisals

Bristol currently has 33 Conservation Areas, which the city council has a statutory duty to review the character, special interest and boundaries of.

Since 2006 the city council has committed to undertake a full review of Bristol’s existing 33 Conservation Areas, through the production of a Character Appraisal and set of Management Proposals for each area. Character Appraisals are a record of positive/negative features that will inform sound decisions on the future management of the area.

The consultation and adoption process for each appraisal will give it enough weight to be a material consideration in making development control decisions, and at appeal.

To date, the following Character Appraisals have been adopted:

• Stokes Croft (adopted 12 October 2007)
• Kingsdown  (adopted 31 March 2008)
• Portland Square (adopted 31 March 2008)
• Redcliffe (adopted 31 March 2008)
• Old Market (adopted 31 March 2008)
• St Michael's Hill and Christmas Steps  (adopted 14 January 2009)
• Montpelier (adopted 14 January 2009)
• City and Queen Square (adopted 14 January 2009)
• Clifton and Hotwells with separate maps for Clifton and Hotwells (adopted 14 July 2010)

Management proposals

Management Proposals relate to features described as ‘negative’ within a Character Appraisal and identify a Potential Action for each.  Management Proposals for the first five Character Appraisals were adopted retrospectively in January 2009 Conservation Area Management Proposals.  Appraisals adopted after January 2009 will have a set of Management Proposals within them.

Forthcoming Character Appraisals

• Sea Mills
• St James’ Parade
• Park Street and Brandon Hill

Current Consultations

Work on the Clifton and Sea Mills Character Appraisals is underway. The initial public meetings and subsequent consultations have been held and officers are now in the process of compiling responses and document drafting. The documents are due to be put forward for adoption at the end of June 2010 and will be posted on this webpage when available.

Park Street and Brandon Hill

Work on the draft appraisal is underway following the initial public meeting and subsequent public consultation. A meeting to introduce the draft findings is due to take place at 6pm on Monday 19 July 2010, Council House, College Green. For further details, contact Kingsley Fulbrook kingsley.fulbrook@bristol.gov.uk

A public consultation period on the draft will run until Wednesday 1 September 2010. All comments on the draft document should be e-mailed to conservation@bristol.gov.uk prior to this date.

St James’ Parade

A public meeting to introduce the forthcoming work on St James’ Parade was held place on Tuesday 6 July. We are currently asking for comments on any issues interested parties would like to put forward on this conservation area. Any comments should be submitted in writing to conservation@bristol.gov.uk by 6 August 2010.

How an appraisal gets adopted

The process flowchart outlines the procedure followed to adopt an appraisal. Officers welcome your views on specific conservation areas at an early stage. 

You can comment using the Conservation comments form or email conservation@bristol.gov.uk (please identify the Conservation Area in the subject line).