Creekside Conservation Area

Although the news was out early last month soon after the Mayor's decision was made in Cabinet on 9th May, the proposal for the Creekside Conservation Area still had to go before the Council's Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel on 22nd May, where it was upheld.

Those who took part in the consultation were emailed on 8th June, and all residents and stakeholders will be receiving a formal letter informing them of the designation and its implications.

The implications for the businesses and employers at Faircharm, however, are already clear – they have a year to get out. Whilst Workspace's plans for Faircharm must now be modified, so that the frontage of their buildings on Creekside are retained (as opposed to being demolished to make way for new and taller buildings), their alternative plan was to modify them to create a central atrium in each, in order to create smaller units. This will obviously cause disruption to businesses and neighbours.

Their plans are unclear, but the building at the back had not been considered worthy of protection by the conservation team, so it may be that this will still be knocked down and the original plan to build luxury flats there – and in the car park – may still go ahead. Meanwhile, some Faircharm businesses may be moving within the year, as their contracts run out and cannot sensibly be renewed.