Adur Council hopes to further protect two historic conservation areas

The historic wooden toll bridge in Shoreham could be given even greater protection under conservation plans being drawn up by Adur District Council.

The Grade II listed crossing, which was built in 1781, provides extensive views over the Adur estuary and was a focal point for the community during the Shoreham Airshow crash in 2015.

The Council is looking to add the bridge to the existing Old Shoreham Conservation Area as part of a regular review of the protections.

This would mean there would be tighter planning controls and other restrictions for anyone looking to make changes to the structure or its surrounding area.

Expert teams are also assessing the zone around Kingston Buci, also referred to as Kingston by Sea, which has settlements dating back to the Bronze Age and is home to the 11th Century St Julian's Church, one of the oldest churches in Sussex.

A consultation is now running until 20th January 2022 to give residents a chance to have their say on a number of elements of both the Old Shoreham and Kingston Buci Conservation areas.

Cllr Emma Evans, Adur District Council's Executive Member for the Environment, said:

“The aims of conservation areas are to preserve historic buildings, to maintain and enhance the historic character of the area and to restrict development that is not in keeping with the character.

“Kingston Buci and Old Shoreham are beautiful areas and we want to protect them as much as we can. The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge is an iconic landmark in the area and we strongly believe it should be included in the conservation area. The public can have their say during the consultation period that runs up until the end of January.”

A Conservation Area Character Appraisal describes the historical context of the area, describes character and its setting and makes recommendations for future management.

This includes boundary changes, tighter planning controls, improvements to public spaces between buildings and raising awareness of the area and guidance for any new developments.

The consultation run by the Council recognises that the areas were last reviewed in the 1990s and is asking for input on three key elements. These are:

• The Conservation Area Character Appraisal
• The proposed boundary changes
• A proposed Article 4 Direction which restricts the rights to carry out alterations without planning permission

The Kingston Buci conservation area boundary is centred on the historic manor, St Julian's Church and rectory. Also included within the conservation area is the 19th century croquet and lawn tennis club east of Kingston Lane.

The Council is suggesting revising the boundary by removing land south west of Shoreham College and immediately north of the railway line, which is now used as a transmitter station. It is also proposed to remove some modern housing along Rectory Road and at Spinnals Grove east of Kingston Lane.

An Article 4 Direction would limit permitted development rights for properties within the observation area, meaning porches, extensions, and demolishing walls would need planning permission.

In Old Shoreham, as well as the addition of the toll bridge, the Council is recommending the removal of some modern housing that does not contribute to the historic character of the area.

All relevant documents and response forms will be made available online, and paper copies will be placed in Shoreham Library, the Shoreham Centre, and Southwick Library during the consultation period.