Faversham CAs expanded

Published Wednesday 1 May, 2024
Last updated on Wednesday 1 May, 2024

Two conservation areas in Faversham have been expanded to include more areas of local importance.

Swale Borough Council has reviewed the conservation areas (CA) of Faversham Town and Preston Next Faversham as part of their commitment to deliver their adopted Heritage Strategy.

After undertaking a public consultation on the conservation area’s character appraisals and their proposed management plans, the council has decided to expand the conservation area’s borders.

The Faversham Town Conservation Area contains the majority of the 349 listed, historically important, buildings in the area.

The sizeable expansion to its borders will incorporate Athelstan Road, Ethelbert Road, Canute Road and Kingsnorth Road which includes the Dutch influenced Ethelbert Road Primary School building.

The other additions are Gordon Square, built in the 1920s which is an example of early public housing construction, and Macknade Avenue, built in 1945 directly after the end of WW2.

Preston Next-Faversham is a small settlement south of the main Faversham conservation area and stretches along Canterbury Road, forming part of the old Roman Watling Street, and has significant historic value.

The conservation area has been expanded to include the terraced properties south of Canterbury Road, including a former blacksmith.

The council, as the local planning authority, is responsible for reviewing conservation areas from time to time.

These reviews offer the opportunity to see if the areas still possess the special architectural and historic interest and are worthy of continued designation, which made them conservation areas in the first place.

The council also assessed how successful the designations had been over the past 50 years and whether they should be expanded or made smaller.

Once an area has been designated a conservation area planning permission is needed to alter or demolish even unlisted buildings, trees within the area are given special protections and, in some cases, development is more restricted.

Cllr Mike Baldock, Swale's Heritage Champion, said:

“We are fortunate to live in a borough that has such a rich and unique mix of built and natural heritage.

“Faversham is no different, with over 300 listed buildings and a mix of historic and more modern architecture that work together to create a unique, historically important area.

“The review of the Faversham conservation areas is part of our commitment to deliver the adopted Heritage Strategy Action Plan, and through this process we have decided to expand their borders.

“These sizeable expansions incorporate buildings that feature important architecture and demonstrates our commitment to protecting our beloved and historically important locations.

“Conservation areas are important because they allow us to positively manage and protect what is special about the areas from being harmed or lost altogether by unfavourable or low-quality development.”