HOMES near an aqueduct which was recently granted World Heritage Status will be subject to stricter planning regulations to maintain the character of the area.
Officers at Wrexham Council want to introduce an “Article 4(2) Direction”, which will restrict permitted development rights in relation to residential properties within the
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct conservation area.
This is to prevent “unsympathetic” alterations.
Executive board councillors will decide at a meeting today whether to implement the direction.
A report by chief planning officer Lawrence Isted, to go before the board, reads: “Within conservation areas, the permitted development rights of dwelling houses are slightly more restricted than areas outside a conservation area.
“However, despite these tighter controls, many minor alterations, such as replacement windows and doors, replacing natural roof materials with man-made ones are permitted development under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (GPDO) 1995.
“The effect of these relatively minor alterations to dwelling houses can be detrimental to the overall character and appearance of a conservation area.
“There are few dwellings within the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Conservation Area boundary, most of which have well preserved exteriors and have been identified as buildings of visual interest.”
It means certain work to properties would now require planning permission, including the replacement of windows, the painting of walls, and the building or demolition of walls.