Officials vow to ensure developers can regenerate buildings without ruining character of Boston area and other parts of Lincolnshire
Officials are looking at where new housing can be built – and how town centre developments in Boston and other parts of the county can be made without ruining the character of an area.
Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council are developing a new joint local plan which will outline new rules for how and where land can be developed.
The authorities are also developing a strategy for conservation areas in Boston, Holbeach and Spalding, which will set out how existing buildings can be modified to ensure it they preserve the character and identities of local areas.
Both the joint plan and strategy for conservation areas were discussed at a South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday (May 27).
After the meeting, Coun Ingrid Sheard (Reform UK – Spalding Monkshouse) said the authorities want developers to preserve local identity and character when carrying out work to historic properties in conservation areas.
Coun Sheard added: “There needs to be definite discussion to ensure that we maintain the visual aspect and the integrity of the buildings themselves.
“For example, the Georgian and Victorian joinery that you can see within the buildings in Holbeach, for example – with the sash windows and the beautiful doorways – I don’t think anybody would want to see anybody come in and sort of totally smash through that and totally replace the look of the buildings.
“So it maintains the heritage of the buildings while still accepting that working together collaboratively you can still regenerate the building and you can still improve the building.”
Coun Sheard told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she feels Boston, Holbeach, and Spalding all have character and developments need to be mindful of this.
She added: “So, it’s just making sure that the historic buildings are kept alive, they’re kept as part of our conservation areas to ensure they’re not lost amongst the new building propositions or building techniques that are coming forward.”
Coun James Avery (Conservative – Pinchbeck and Surfleet), vice chairman of the meeting, explained afterward: “From a Government perspective, we have to follow the rules of developing a new local plan, which will be joint between SHDC (South Holland District Council) and BBC (Boston Borough Council).
“The officers put together a method or a project plan to achieve that.”
The Government has asked local councils across the country to develop an up-to-date local plan.
Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council are developing a joint South East Lincolnshire Local Plan which will set out where new housing can be developed in a sustainable manner.
Council officials say they are working with residents and local businesses to develop this local plan.