COUNCILLORS are set to fly in the face of a report on a conservation area in Farnborough by adding to the protection afforded to buildings within it.

The Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust advised downgrading The South Farnborough Conservation Area, which covers part of Farnborough and North Camp, last year.

It said changes to the buildings had downgraded the area’s character and advised making it an ‘area of local distinctiveness’ instead.

The author of the report, Kevin Stubbs, said keeping the area’s current status would reduce the value of conservation area desig-nations. He said over-enthusiastic homeowners had ruined their homes with DIY alterations that stripped the area of its original value.

But the trust’s findings were slammed by residents who wrote to the council in droves to show their support for the special status remaining.

At a meeting of Rushmoor Borough Council’s cabinet, councillors threw their weight behind the residents and decided that the matter would not go to consultation.

Instead, residents will be asked whether they would like to add to the protection of the area’s conservation status by adding an Article 4 Direction.

The additional legislation would mean that owners of homes, shops and businesses in the area would have to get special permission to change features like traditional sash windows to plastic ones.

John Edwards, director of community and environment at Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “What was being proposed here was very different from what was being proposed for other conservation areas.

They were essentially saying that we should do away with the conservation area altogether.”

Cabinet decided to look into all the options last year rather than go out to consultation over whether the status should be scrapped.

Mr Edwards said that the views of residents, many of whom had raised objections to the report, were very important and explained that conservation areas were not an exact science.

He said: “North Camp has seen a lot of improvements over recent years and that is down to the works and efforts of residents.
 
“This reflects their pride in the area and their desire to see improvement.”

Deputy leader of the council Cllr Roland Dibbs lives on the edge of the conservation area and was involved in an English Heritage assessment which was also conducted last year.

That report praised the high quality civil buildings, distinctive local hub and attractive nature of the streets.

Cllr Dibbs said: “This is a document from English Heritage and they are responsible for conservation areas, not The Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust.

“I would like to hope that the cabinet would support the recommendation that we do not continue with a review of the South Farnborough Conservation Area.

Cllr Peter Moyle, leader of the council, said: “I see absolutely nothing wrong with going with the people who live in that area and I think we should retain the conservation area and consult on the article direction.”