AS A long-standing resident of Chalford Hill with an interest in maintaining the characteristics of Cotswold conservation areas, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the district council's interpretation of what a conservation area should be.

According to Historic England it is ‘an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’.

The courts have ruled that developments, extensions or new build, should make a positive contribution to the area’s character or appearance.

New building works should be of harmonious design and not cause harm to the local characteristics.

Chalford Parish has five conservation areas, in which the majority of buildings are in the Cotswold vernacular style.

When new builds clash, in both scale and materials, they do not enhance or harmonise with their neighbours.

It seems that the SDC planning department policy for new-builds and extensions is contrary to the objective of conservation areas in that they should not replicate the style or materials which are so valued by the local population.

Wholly inappropriate vertical coloured boarding, red tiles, cream render and other materials are favoured by the planning department at the expense of traditional stone and Cotswold tiles.

Adjacent districts seem to be able to maintain local characteristics and many attractive developments are in evidence.

In Chalford we always seem to have a battle on our hands when non-traditional materials are demanded to ensure that new builds are distinctive from the Cotswold style.

New-builds out of place in the conservation areas are the result. We parishioners feel that there is little regard to the preservation of our conservation areas and question if the planning authority believe they have any role to play in their continued existence.

A Chalford Neighbourhood Development Plan is in the process of preparation. This will emphasise the desire to maintain and enhance the Cotswold characteristics. Let us hope that when completed it will not only be accepted by SDC, but will be the reference document when considering planning applications.

Janet Gaskell

Chalford Hill